Spending Time

[Trillian]

It had been a couple of nights since Kerr had left them and Ben was sticking to Arles like glue.  He was content spending time with one sire, and knew that Kerr would be visited soon enough, but the fledgling was putting it off waiting for Kerr to soothe things with Sawyl.  Likely he would telephone Kerr before coming over, if only to give his other sire a warning (or to receive a warning himself if it wasn\'t safe).  For now this was a subconscious decision, his conscious one was to be with the platinum blonde, and learn from or simply spend time with him.

Ben was also getting more amorous as the nights went by, not only sticking close to Arles, but holding his hand, hugging him, lying with his head on Arles\' lap if they watched television (or lay with his head on Arles\' chest in bed).  He hadn\'t initiated sex as such, but should the blonde had led their touches in such a direction, Ben would\'ve willingly responded.

The fledgling was still trying to find his feet in his new role for the reality of being vampire continued to evade him at times, catching him up with wonder at himself, at the nagging hunger (that he was quite good at controlling but still didn\'t have any desire to feed without Arles presence nearby - and once the blonde had had to clear his throat and touch Ben to alert him that his victim was being drained just a little too much).  That had frightened Ben a little, for the healthy surfer who\'d wandered up the beach couldn\'t even stand up when he\'d released him.  Ben had clung to Arles and grown very quiet, withdrawing into his own thoughts (which at times still found a rambling path inside Arles\' head, but usually they were jumbled and distracting, rather than proper sent messages).

They were both lying on top of the bed, with Arles reading and Ben pressed against his sire\'s side, his head resting on the crook of Arles\' shoulder and a hand tracing random patterns on his sire\'s chest.  They were both well-fed from a short walk along the beach and Ben\'s thoughts began creeping into Arles\' head, distracting him from the book.

warmth
they were warm now I\'m warm
Arles is warm
warm and cosy
this is good
life is good
am I alive?  I don\'t feel dead
I feel happy
happy and warm

[Noctambule]

It had been close to a week and things were...strangely different. Arles knew it would be an adjustment but to such a degree was amazing. He hadn\'t wanted to realize how long he\'d been alone and comfortably so except suddenly there was this presence always beside him. At first it had been alarming. He\'d been tempted to send Ben to his room or just...away for a bit. But then it became comforting and now he wasn\'t sure how he ever did without it.

Tonight had been mellow and the blonde was quite content with it being so. Ben was a quick study and they hadn\'t had any major issues thus far. No frantic phone calls to Kerr (because who else was there to call?) that Ben had accidentally stayed outside in the morning or gotten his fingers stuck in the garbage disposal.

Arles shifted enough to turn the page of his book, one hand absently fingering the fledgling\'s hair. It was strangely normal, which disturbed him more than anything. But still comfortable and he continued reading until...

It took him a moment to realize the filter of thoughts did belong to Ben. "Do we have a bit of a temperature fetish?" Arles asked teasingly. "Though you\'re making me feel all warm too now." Which was interesting since Arles usually didn\'t take such things into account.

He dropped a kiss on Ben\'s temple with a grin. "I take it you\'re quiet content or did I misinterpret?"

[Trillian]

"Sorry," Ben mumbled, knowing Arles was commenting on the circular thoughts inside Ben\'s head.  He must\'ve been projecting again, and in his embarrassment he hid his face into Arles shoulder, not realising that he\'d been asked a question, thinking that the comment made was rhetorical.

If he answered, he would tell Arles that he was quite content, he was once again wowed by the fact that he was a vampire, his end goal.  He was glad he didn\'t feel any different (though the constant gnawing hunger was getting old fast, especially when he\'d just fed - he figured it was going to have to be something he lived with until he got old enough to not have to want to feast anymore).

"I\'ll try to stay out of your head," he promised, talking into the crook of Arles\' shoulder.

[Noctambule]

"Mm, it\'s alright. Kind of comforting if distracting," Arles replied. He made another attempt at reasing his book but was finding his attention drawn to Ben more and more.

"Don\'t you get bored?" He asked finally. "Just...lying here when I\'m reading? I know you have a good imagination but it can\'t be that good can it?" The blonde continued to groom the fledgling for a moment before shifting, settling an arm around Ben\'s shoulders.

He looked amused as Ben hid his face. It was becoming a frequent gesture these days simply because Ben was embarassed over what he knew well to be a learning curve. And Ben was doing remarkably well.

"Don\'t you want...something to do? Or read? I don\'t want to bore you to tears."

[Trillian]

"I don\'t mind, I like spending quiet time with you."  Ben realised that maybe Arles was trying to fob him off, and the expression stamped on his face gave this idea away.  "Uh, unless there\'s a book you\'d like to suggest for me," he offered with a strained smile.  Was he being too clinging?  Was Arles getting tired of having him so close all the time?  It must\'ve been claustrophobic for a vampire who was used to living alone to have Ben almost surgically attached to him.  Ben\'s gaze dropped as he thought about how to act a little more independantly.  He certainly hadn\'t wanted to be a burden.

[Noctambule]

Arles instantly recognized the look and moved his hand from Ben\'s hair to brush down his cheek as though he could smooth that look away. "No. You know you\'re welcome to anything I have...but if you don\'t want to read that\'s your choice. I just thought..."

The blonde sighed, sitting up a little more and pulling Ben with him. "Aren\'t you bored? I can\'t stand to just...sit or it drives me insane. And you\'re just calm and happy as can be...doing nothing that I can see." He paused. "Unless, you just have a really, really great imagination."

Hoping the words weren\'t harsh since they weren\'t intended to be (simply relaxing wasn\'t something Arles could fathom very well), he leaned forward and kissed Ben. That simple but firm kiss quickly turned into something else and the older vampire wasn\'t quite sure how. But soon his mouth was open and his tongue was seeking entrance between Ben\'s lips, wanting to know what he tasted like as a fledgling.

[Trillian]

Imagination wasn\'t really what Ben was exercising, so much as relaxing and letting his thoughts wander.  Daydreaming about topics that didn\'t really take a strong conscious hold, lest he start projecting to Arles (and when he\'d begun to focus on his last pair of blood victims on the beach earlier, Arles had heard his errant mind rubbish).  He\'d been about to protest his wonderful imagination, to let the platinum blonde know that it was more like idle musings, when the kiss brought him around... and then it grew.
 
A little confused as to how this had begun but not minding it in the slightest for it was good to be wanted, good to be kissed, Ben responded.  His hand lifted to find a place on Arles\' shoulders, then stroked along his back, the other hand lifting to lightly touch his sire\'s jawline, to feel the muscles move there beneath smooth cool skin, before his fingertips traced into Arles hair, stroking soft strands through his fingers.  The texture of touch was a great deal richer as a vampire, and he was amazed and urged on by it.  He wanted not only to experience his sire\'s closeness, but also to experiment further with touch.  It was familiar territory, but with all the dials turned to full.

[Noctambule]

Kissing Ben was reassuringly familiar and disturbingly different at the same time. It was still Ben. He still felt the same and looked the same...and yet he was different. The scent was altered and his skin, while not cold, was not entirely warm either.

He felt the fledgling\'s fingers moving around and grinned even as he continued to kiss him. It was strange, really. No doubt touches felt entirely different to him...or maybe just ten times stronger than what they had been previously.

He put the book aside and sat up completely for a better angle. One arm wrapped around Ben\'s waist to pull him closer and the other traced up his neck with the edge of a fingernail. "Curious, aren\'t we?" He asked, pulling back briefly. His lips moved over Ben\'s jaw and down the opposite side of his throat, nipping then soothing the places with his lips and tongue.

[Trillian]

"Feels good," Ben mumbled, responsive and willing, taking short gasping breaths beneath Arles\' nips and licks.  His hands roamed the cool body near him, exploring with palms and fingers that could now feel the softness beneath the hard marble surface of Arles\' skin, something he hadn\'t managed to feel before when they\'d first entered sexual territory.

He made some more murmurs and sounds, which Arles would most certainly associate with how Ben used to be.  Some things didn\'t change, and Ben\'s behaviour was one of them.  His hands took on a more urgent roaming and touching, pulling closer, stroking harder, wanting.  He was now kissing wherever his lips could touch, Arles\' temple or his shoulder, whenever the vampire moved.  His legs moved to entwine themselves with Arles\' own.  It was as though Arles had found Ben\'s \'on\' switch, and flicked it.

[Noctambule]

Ben had always seemed reserved. In a friendly sort of way but Arles had noted the boy\'s restraint. However with this...it wasn\'t a horrible difference but it was still there. Ben\'s fingers and mouth seemed almost desperate to explore everywhere...not that the blonde cared terribly (or minded at all) but it was different.

Arms wrapped around Ben\'s slighter frame, stilling him momentarily. Arles moved to a more stable position, pulling the fledgling\'s legs on either side of his own before he returned to kissing along his throat. He bit, not breaking the skin but harsher than normal as Ben was changed now. It was a mock of what they\'d done before but it still felt right.

"Does feel good," Arles agreed, resting his palm on the small of Ben\'s back then smoothing it upward along his spine. It was enough for him just to touch Ben and be close to him but the vampire smiled, kissing him again almost frantically.

[Trillian]

Ben was puppetered into place, not fighting Arles positioning of him but assisting once he realised where he was wanted.  His expression was unreadable; his brows were lifted as if with worry, but his gaze was more hopeful, his lips were parted yet somehow set in a determined way, then they were kissing all they could again, or he emitted a sigh, or a moan, depending on what Arles was doing for him.  The biting had Ben pressing against Arles, rubbing himself in a manner that was nothing but suggestive, letting the other vampire know there was only one thing on Ben\'s mind.  If that wasn\'t enough, Ben was also picturing and imagining what they would be doing soon, and sending carnal imagery to Arles - either realising it or not, likely the latter for Ben was consumed with his desire to fulfill this passion.

[Noctambule]

Arles felt the physical response about the same time he \'saw\' it. Ben was apparently quite good at making his thoughts well known when he wanted them to be. At the moment, Arles couldn\'t find the willpower to care because the images were just too enthralling. With a mental grin that had nothing to do with his sudden surge of arousal, he sort of hoped Kerr wasn\'t getting a show. Hopefully the distance was enough.

He knew he was moving Ben about like a doll but he couldn\'t help it. Each touch and kiss became more frantic as he slid Ben\'s shirt completely off and made an attempt at his pants. It had been a while and that gave Arles pause. "Are you sure?" He mumbled, kissing the hollow just behind the fledgling\'s ear and seemingly having no control over the hand that urged Ben to press more harshly against him. "No...rush."

[Trillian]

Ben laughed softly and not unkindly to Arles question of his being sure.  Ben\'s frantic pulling at Arles\' clothing and exploring fingers through his hair was surely enough for his sire to know he was ready enough.  Instead of his gentle chuckles being his only answer (for he knew Arles was more than likely to misinterpret and worry), he answered vocally.  "Positive," he said clearly, and began unbuttoning Arles shirt so that he could run his hands over well-defined flesh.

There was nothing but desire in Ben\'s eyes before he closed them, and a healthy pink and very mortal flush to his cheeks due to the blood in his system and still tanned vampire newness.  He turned his head to plant a few kisses on Arles\' jawline, since it was handy for him they were so close.  His hips moved upward, his shoulders on the bed for leverage, and his hands working in a confined space to move Arles shirt off his shoulders.

[Noctambule]

Arles didn\'t know why this was so different. He helped Ben and got his own shirt off, supporting the other as he lifted his hips and attempting to slide his pants down. But it was strange. Arles felt detached in a way from the events, feeling way too...contemplative of what was happening. Would this change things? Sure they already had but to do it again after Ben was turned and...

But it meant Ben wanted to do this. He already had been sired so this wasn\'t the means to an end. And true (unknowingly) to Ben\'s thoughts, Arles was worrying.

It was only a momentary pause, however. Another kiss and Arles was attempting to back off to give Ben enough space to move and get closer a tthe same time. The pads of his fingers stroked over Ben\'s chest, resting on his non existant heartbeat.

[Trillian]

Ben\'s motives could not be explained to Arles, for the young man did not even know them himself, but he felt that this moment, these actions, were not tainted by anything other than desire.

He was wrong.  What was driving him was the need to know his place, to understand where he was in the scheme of things.  His life (or his un-life) was spinning out of control, regardless of the fact he was calmly living in a beach-house, learning the skill of feeding without killing, had two sires to help him do so, had a strong connection with both despite the fact he\'d only known both for a few days.  He didn\'t realise that his instincts were founded on something so tribal as ranking.

If someone were to take all of Ben\'s emotions from the equation, and inject him with pure realisation of everything that ever motivated him, he would understand these truths:  Arles was his one true sire due to intent.  Kerr would not have sired him without Arles.  Arles had sexual desire for Ben, as Ben had for Kerr.  Kerr would not consent/condone/gratify Ben\'s want.  Ben needed a physical attachment to explain his emotional one - sex was the easiest way to do so.

But Ben wouldn\'t understand all of this, and should accusations be made in such a vein, he would strongly deny it, and be genuine.  Perhaps days later he would consider such accusations and wonder.  For now, all he wanted was Arles\' touch, all he wanted was to be desired and loved, and to pleasure Arles in the same manner.

He moved Arles\' hand off his chest, picking it up so that he could lift it towards his mouth, sucking on Arles\' index fingertip and then placing it further into his mouth suggestively, before retreating and wending his tongue around the middle as well and taking in two fingers.  If such an act wasn\'t obvious, then his intense gaze upon Arles\' face was.