Hermits United, continued

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash presented Ichabod with a whiskey glass filled with warmed blood before he sank onto the corner cushion of the lime settee, opposite the younger vampire.  He had his own whiskey glass of blood, though they\'d never held any alcohol.  The women he brought back here often drank wine, or beer, before they partied with him.  He sipped the dark red contents, purchased from Risk by the baggie - it was A positive, but he wasn\'t so refined that he could tell blood types; it was healthy, freshly donated blood, and that was all he cared about.

He didn\'t speak for a long moment, watching the younger one drink the blood offered him, and it was only when he let his Auspex talent drift out that he finally understood why Ichabod felt so familiar to him.  The realisation hit him quite suddenly; enough for him to be struck into silence beyond what he\'d intended before he finally made the obvious statement.

"You live in Kerr\'s apartment."  He followed this declaration with another.  "He sired you."

It was supposed to be a question, but didn\'t sound like one.

[pinkroses]

“Thank you,” Ichabod murmured as Ash passed him the blood and he took a first deep drink before sipping it more slowly. He had slipped off his boots and his feet were now curled up underneath him. The fledgling had been relieved at the comfortable silence between them on the ride home, and although he’d meant to get off the lift at his floor, somehow he’d found himself here instead.

He\'d cleaned up his face, and the blood on his black shirt had dried so wouldn\'t be as visible to the human eye, but he could feel the cloth stiffening. Ichabod\'s nose still hurt like a bitch, but he knew it wouldn\'t take too long. Hopefully his black eyes would be gone before he saw Ben or Kerr again.

His dark eyes had been focused on the tumbler, watching the blood coat the clear glass and colour it nicely, but he lifted his gaze as Ash spoke.

“Yeah… I only moved in last week, I forgot you lived here too,” Ichabod said, with a slightly apologetic tone to his voice. “He sired me about two years ago now, and we were living in the Oligarchy Chambers, but… me and Ben, we haven’t been able to get on, so I had to leave,” Ichabod explained briefly, guessing Ash would know all about Ben and Kerr being Luminary.

"Thanks... for helping me earlier," he added quietly.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash nodded while Ichabod spoke about being sired by Kerr and then living with him at the Chambers.  Yeah, he guessed as much.

He waved away the thanks with a quick gesture.

"Ben," Ash said, for he remembered both his own personal and intimate dalliance with the blonde vampire and the stories Kerr had told about him.  "He\'s a piece of work, that one," he said, unimpressed.  There was no question that he thought very little of Ben by his tone.

[pinkroses]

“Yeah, he’s…” He makes Kerr happy for some reason. And it seems like everyone else loves him too. Apart from Ash. Ichabod frowned thoughtfully at Ash over his glass, before speaking again.

“Why don’t you like him?” Ichabod knew Kerr and Ash used to fuck, maybe that had stopped when Ben had come back. Ichabod wasn’t entirely sure of the timeline of Ben coming back although he knew how Kerr had gone to get him from New York - details of things around that time were a little vague to him, Ichabod hadn’t wanted too much information on Kerr and Ben’s wonderful reunion and so hadn\'t asked questions when he\'d had the chance.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash leaned back so he was settled comfortably in his seat, lifting up his right foot so that his ankle rested upon the opposite knee.  With a casual gesture, he reached down to grip it and hold it in place.  While striking this pose of nonchalance, he was watching Ichabod carefully - as the other vampire watched him, by the look.

"Well, for a start, there was everything Kerr told me about him.  Seems Ben was setting up a vampire to sire him from the start.  That\'s A1 manipulation, right there.  And then I met him, when Kerr brought him back from New York.  I came down to say hey and we ended up fucking.  I didn\'t mind that so much, but after we were done he told me to go back upstairs."  Ash raised his glass to Ichabod, in a cheers gesture.  "Was he the same with you?"

He figured, with the quick way Ben had been ready to fuck, that Ichabod had experienced his vampire sibling.

[pinkroses]

Ben had fucked Ash? Had he known Kerr and Ash had been fooling around? How could he not have? Kerr had told Ichabod when he’d come to visit, and then tried pretty hard to not let Ichabod and Ash have a proper conversation. Had that been… no, that had been before Ben had come back from New York. But Kerr couldn’t have been pleased about it. And seriously, did everyone want to fuck Ben? Sure, he had the model like good looks, but Ichabod really couldn’t see the appeal after that.

Ichabod blinked in surprise at Ash at the question, taking a second to comprehend what was being ask then he wrinkled up his nose (painfully) as he shook his head.

“Oh, Hell, no. Ben and I, we never…” Ichabod had been terrified when he’d thought Ben might make him, when he’d been human, and Ben had been… not himself. But it had never gone that far. Half a blow job, that was all. And that had been bad enough.

“That was when he’d just got back from New York… he was pretty messed up then, he’s better now,” Ichabod said, half disbelieving the words were actually coming out of his mouth. He never thought he would defend his brother like this, but he had to admit, Ben was better. And he and Kerr were in a loving, monogamous relationship as far as Ichabod knew. Ben wouldn’t just fuck anything that glanced his way, not now.

[Malkavian Riddler]

"Better?  What, more practice you mean?" Ash laughed, but didn\'t allow Ichabod the time to respond.  "I bet if you asked him for a blow he\'d get down on his knees quick smart.  He plays the I\'m-better-than-you card really fucking well, but I don\'t think he has any morals."  Ash laughed again and then mumbled to himself.  "Look at me, looking down on someone for not having morals.  The world\'s turned upside fucking down."  Ichabod wasn\'t supposed to necessarily hear it, but being a vampire with his enhanced hearing, there was no way around it.

[pinkroses]

“No,” Ichabod said, squirming a little in his seat as Ash laughed and carried on despite the fledgling’s protests. If he’d drunk more blood his cheeks would have turned bright red at the idea of Ben getting practise, hating that he knew it would be Kerr he would have been practising on. And the idea that Ben might have been cheating on Kerr all this time. Or worse, maybe Kerr knew and was just accepting it.

“He wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t ask. And it’s not just me he wouldn‘t do. Like I said, he’s different now. Maybe it’s not about morals, but him and Kerr… they’re together, like, properly,” Ichabod said, frowning down at his empty glass. “I don’t think he would risk that.”

For a second Ichabod wondered how someone could just go down on someone without even knowing who they were, but then he remembered he’d done exactly that with Lazarus and a fuck load more. How could he judge? But that was a long time ago now.

“Him and Kerr, they weren’t together then… were they?” he asked warily, his black eyes flickering back up to watch Ash, hoping he was right about that.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Hearing that Ben and Kerr were back together gave Ash a mixed bag of emotion.  He was pleased for his friend, for he knew how bad Kerr had been for his fledge (but look, there\'s another one here now), but underneath the warm and fuzzy was a black spiky ball of bitterness and jealousy - that Kerr no longer had time for his friends because of his job and his new lovey-dovey fuckling. Now Ichabod and he were on the sidelines.

"Fuck. I don\'t want to talk about Ben anymore," he said, then drained his glass of blood, swallowing it in five large gulps.  "Let\'s change the subject to you. Got anyone you\'re involved with?"

He wasn\'t necessarily interested in Ichabod, but it would be interesting to know if the other was available and looking.

[pinkroses]

“Uh… no. No one,” Ichabod said shortly. He hadn’t really been expecting the change of topic so suddenly, and hadn’t got a response to his question as to whether Kerr and Ben had been together. Either way, it was a long time ago, so he guessed it really didn’t matter and he couldn’t let himself dwell on that. Ash didn’t want to talk about Ben, and to be honest Ichabod didn’t really want to either. He just couldn’t help himself.

“I haven’t really been… with anyone for a while. Tonight was supposed to be sort of, getting back into it, but clearly I’ve not done a great job,” Ichabod added with a shrug. He didn’t know why he was just blurting this out to Ash, a complete stranger, but it was kind of nice to just have someone else to talk to.

"So, um, what about you? Anyone you\'re... with?" he asked, leaning sideways to put his empty glass onto the table.

[Malkavian Riddler]

"Nah, but I haven\'t imposed celibacy upon myself," Ash said, eyeing Ichabod while he said this to make sure the young vampire didn\'t take it badly.  "Are you just into guys, or more like Kerr and me, into women too?"

It would be interesting to have a new wingman; to replace the sire with the fledge would be hilarious.  If Ichabod liked feminine curves as well, then that could increase the pickup potential for both of them, since they had vastly different looks.  Ash knew he was bad boy Hollywood through and through, even though nobody recognised him anymore.  Ichabod, he had that kind of sweetness about him, the kind that works well on girls that liked puppies.  It wasn\'t his thing, but he\'d seen Isaac with young men like that enough to recognise the appeal.

[pinkroses]

“It\'s not like that,” Ichabod said, quietly glancing down as Ash implied his celibacy had been intentional. Ichabod just didn’t see the point in going around sleeping with a load of people when he only really wanted to be with one person. One person who didn’t want to be with him. Fuck, this was messed up. But that was why he was trying to shake himself out of it.

“Both I guess. Guys just seem easier a lot of the time,” Ichabod said oblivious to what Ash was thinking. He\'d never been great at picking up girls when he was younger and the women he had been in relationships with had been long term things not one night stands or easy pick ups.

As he considered it, Ichabod let his gaze drift thoughtfully over Ash. He was good looking and had a confident air about him. He looked like he\'d never had any problems picking up men, women, whoever he wanted.  Ichabod could see why Kerr would have slept with him - and they\'d done a whole lot more. Threesomes and probably a load of stuff Ichabod had never really considered. He had no idea how to go out and just find someone to fuck. Even when someone fell into his lap like they had tonight he couldn\'t pull it off. And he knew he was probably the most vanilla vampire in Risk tonight.

“Hey, uh, this might sound really lame and stupid but would you go out with me one night? Like to Risk or something. Maybe give me some tips on how it should be done? I mean, picking someone up? Could be fun?” he suggested hesitantly giving Ash a hopeful smile, half expecting the older vampire to just laugh in his face and bracing himself for that eventuality.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Guys seemed easier?  Obviously Ichabod didn\'t keep the same female company as Ash did.  Women, especially in this city, threw themselves at any guy that showed interest.  Probably because there was a high percentage of gays here (including the women themselves), as well as a high percentage of supes.  Weird, that.  It made for picking up the softer of the species a damn site easier, and the great thing was they were often willing to bring along a female friend for a real party.

What Ichabod requested next of Ash did in fact make the movie star laugh, but not in a cruel or derogatory kind of way, more in a flattered and really surprised way.

"Wow, that sounds like a mighty fine way to spend an evening.  If we get really lucky, we could have ourselves a little party and smorgasbord."  He studied Ichabod\'s reaction.  "Unless that makes you uncomfortable," he added, just for prosperity.

[pinkroses]

Ichabod smiled at Ash’s response, pleased that he liked the idea and wasn’t about to start mocking him for being an complete loser. All Ichabo dhad ever wanted was acceptance and Ash seemed to be pretty good at accepting him right now. Still, time would tell when they actually went out.

His mouth goldfished for a few seconds as he realised what  Ash was suggesting afterwards though, surprised that Ash would just come out and say it. Did people actually plan these things? Ichabod had just kind of assumed they just happened. He was having enough trouble finding one person he wanted to sleep with, let alone a variety. And what if Ash came on to him? He was good looking, sexy, and he was clearly confident, the kind of guy Ichabod would usually consider himself lucky to be noticed by.

But he’d fucked Kerr and Ben. It was too messed up and wasn’t something Ichabod wanted to get too involved with.

But he’d already asked to go out with Ash and couldn’t exactly back out now. He’d just have to make sure he remembered that when it came to it.

“Uh, well, we’ll… let’s just see how it goes,” Ichabod said with a shrug, fiddling with a fold in his jeans.

“So… when… when would be good for you? I mean, could… would Monday be okay with you?” he asked, blurting out the last words quickly. He wanted to get this out of the way before he saw Kerr again. Otherwise he’d probably tell him everything and Kerr would try to convince him it was a bad idea. He’d tried to stop him from talking to Ash before, why would now be any different?

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash laughed a little when Ichabod suggested they \'wait and see\'  He wasn\'t surprised by Ichabod\'s subtle refusal, but he was surprised when the other vampire blurted out a date for their outing.  He was keen.

"Yeah, that\'ll be fine," he agreed, figuring Ichabod might take it badly if he said no, and he wasn\'t doing anything on Monday night anyway.  Fuck, it was about time he found someone who didn\'t religiously follow the weeknight/weekend rituals anyway.  "Actually, it\'ll be fucking fantastic."

He grinned and slapped his palm down on his ankle.

"For now did you want to watch a movie or shoot some pool?  I\'ve got an action flick waiting for me, and a pool table that\'s been gathering dust."