WHO: Damon and Thomas WHAT: Dropping in WHERE: Raith mansion WHEN: July 14 RATING: Them
Damon looked at the ledgers that sat on his desk. The numbers were good, but they were mixing together. His thoughts were elsewhere. Worse yet, there was a craving that had irritated him, and was becoming more persistent. Oh, he knew the end result, and it could either take him to the right place or the wrong one. It didn’t seem to give him a choice either. His heart stalled on one, but the second was running. He really should have known from the start.
“Fuck it,” he grumbled to himself and his new Sailfin dragon. He really was a catch. Damon was drawn to that creature, giving him a scratch. He’d feed him some crickets and make sure his water was full before he picked up his keys. “I’ll be back in a bit,” he promised the creature. “We’ll catch a late movie after.”
He turned the car towards a familiar destination. The mansion was what it was, loud and obnoxious like it’s owner, or not really, just wealthy. It seemed simple on the outside, built for an image. There was more on the inside, and that ‘more’ would always draw him in. He was tired of cardboard, aesthetic appeal with nothing underneath. Curb appeal only went so far when the interior looked like shit. He shook his head, walking the familiar path towards the entry. He hit the bell and waited.
***
Thomas had never been big on the idea of people calling ahead or whatever you were supposed to do before going to see someone. If he was busy he’d just tell them to take off. Plus sometimes those unexpected interruptions were just what were needed. Especially with the way his mind was going these days - it just never stopped between the film and trying to figure out his personal life. How had he managed to break his personal rule about getting emotionally invested with not just one person but two? More than that he’d actually let get close to him since moving back but they weren’t what was keeping him so preoccupied. No that was just two men that he couldn’t seem to stay away from. And actually didn’t want to stay away from them when it came right down to it.
He was messing around with his guitar, not even thinking about what he was going to play as he moved his fingers over the strings before deciding on a song and starting to sing as he played. This had always been relaxing for him, a way to calm his mind when nothing else worked. He heard the set the guitar down as he called to his housekeeper that he had it. And that it was late and she needed to get home to her family - whatever she was doing in the kitchen could wait until morning. He smiled and shook his head at the familiar litany of excuses she called back to him as he cut her off from answering the door with a teasing wave.
“Damon.” He said with a smile before he leaned in to kiss him and then try to pull him into the house with him. “Everything okay?” He asked as he took another look at his face, noticing that he looked a little distracted himself.
*** “Yeah, I’m good,” he smiled, taking another kiss. “It was a weird night, so I’m making it better with you.” The better choice than the last, and he had known. He let himself be pulled in, looking around at the familiar house. He wasn’t here a lot, usually sticking around Purgatory. This was part of bringing himself out more, and making an effort.
The blue eyes returned to Thomas. “What are you doing? Just hanging out here? Early call in the studio?” He was alone, not with someone, just chilling. They could figure this out. It would take some time, but there were options here. “Got a drink? Show me things.” ***
“Weird how?” Thomas asked as he led Damon deeper into the house, moving the guitar off the couch to make space for the two of them to sit after he grabbed a couple of glasses and a bottle from the bar off to the side.
“I was just playing around with my guitar, trying to keep my mind from going thirty directions at once. And I don’t have an early call in the morning. Only time this week I get to sleep to a decent hour.” He said passing him the glass and sitting down, reaching down to adjust his guitar without thinking so that it wasn’t likely to get knocked over. “So....are you going to tell me what exactly pulled you here tonight or am I going to have to coax it out of you?” There was a note somewhere between teasing and challenging in that question as he looked into those blue eyes.
*** Damon smirked and shook his head. He wasn’t about to go into detail. Alex had acted predictably, and Damon wasn’t about to take orders over a stupid disagreement that was really a joke. The kid could never take who he was, and Damon didn’t want to fit into a box, or have to watch what he did or said. Nope, best to move along. The dark horse had won, not that said dark horse knew, but as it was, the front runner made a mistake, and the dark horse finished first. “Nothing even that important. I’d rather be here.”
He looked at the guitar. He should have known. There was something about a musician’s appeal, or the practice of a skilled hand. He took the glass, feeling more relaxed now. He was in the right place. “How about we swap more interesting stories instead? That one is not.” He waved dismissively, taking a drink, blue eyes staying on Thomas. “Play me something.” ***
Thomas watched him in silence for a moment as he took a drink, debating with himself rather now was one of those times Damon had mentioned needing to be pushed before deciding that would wait until later. Right now Damon wanted him to play something to help make his night better so he would. “Only if you tell me what you’ve been up to. Other than work.” He said, negotiating as he pulled the guitar up onto the couch with them and rested his fingers on the chords waiting to see if Damon agreed to his condition.
*** Why did he want to open that can of worms? In a way though it was nice to have someone who actually wanted to know and wasn’t so self absorbed. “I just got rid of a bad habit. That’s it. Someone that could have been more once, but it was a toxic thing and tonight was just that straw. He wants things on his terms, has a fit if I don’t bow and scrape and be nice, and I was just done. I’m tired of pretending that I don’t give a shit. About him, I really don’t. He can’t even have a conversation without leaving a bitter distaste, and I’ve known that for awhile.” He watched the other man’s face, taking another drink. “I’d rather be here.” He let that hang in the air, not sure if that was too much. *****
Thomas started moving his fingers slowly over the chords, playing a quiet melody as he listened to Damon talk. He frowned a little bit when he said that the other person could have been more once. He could guess who it was, maybe not by name but he’d known there was someone else even though they’d always seemed to talk around the other man. Not hiding his existence anymore than Thomas hid Tony’s but he never asked Damon about him. He knew himself too well once he’d started realizing this thing had the potential for more at least for him. Once he’d realized there were emotions coming to the surface. So he hadn’t asked.
“I’m glad you’re here. And if you need any help keeping free of that bad habit...just say the word.” As shitty as it might sound to anybody else - he was glad that Damon had chosen to come here following...whatever had gone down. Damon had picked him.
*** Damon had been paying attention to his eyes, watching the reaction. He didn’t talk about Alex very much. These two were very different men. He reached up and pushed back a dark curl, so soft for a vampire. Maybe the story was due, at least briefly. “I met Alex before you. Was kind of taken with him at first. It doesn’t take long to realize that there is nothing underneath. He’s all about himself, and that doesn’t do it for me. I met you after he and I separated the first time, and you and I agreed to keep things casual and I really wasn’t ready for anything else. I’d been burned a few times, and at that point, I’m not sure I was capable of anything other than physical presence. Then time went on, Alex had left and came back, and ended up at Purgatory, and the whole time, I was healing and putting together the Vegas club.” Thomas had been there with him, seen it under construction, and they played in Vegas together. “The thing with Alex was that it was physical, cheap, and easy. The rest still wasn’t there, not enough - and you, you are more than that, and I wasn’t willing to let you go. You and I are similar in the way we work, and the way we think. You stayed, and I stayed. Cheap and easy never lasts for long. It has nothing real, but it also doesn’t hurt.”
Fingers had dropped to Thomas’ hand on the strings. He thumbed over them. “I’m not here because I am running from that. I’ll take the distraction.” His smile quirked up, knowing the decision was the best one he’d made in awhile. This was his choice, and now they had to figure out what they looked like - and possibly Tony. Once feelings started to seep into the cracks, they were consuming. They would eat through the barriers, carrying a lot of weight - but they also made it possible to get hurt, or jealous. ***
Thomas’ eyes stayed locked on Damon’s as he listened to the other man speaking, telling him about Alex and answering the questions that Thomas had never come out and asked him. Too scared of what the answer might have been maybe once things had changed. He gave him a small smile at that light touch of Damon’s fingers on his hand while he played, a soft tune that was just keeping his fingers moving. His hand busy so that they could talk. “So...if neither of us are going to run anymore...what are we going to do?” He asked. He didn’t want to give up Damon. Or Tony either for that matter. He cared about them both and they met different needs for him. Emotionally and physically. Mentally too.
*** He hadn’t been too sure if Thomas was aware of Alex. Apparently he was, and Damon liked that. Maybe he shouldn’t, but he did. The man was paying attention. It was in his eyes. “Were you jealous of him?” he asked, trying to keep a smile from creeping over his lips. The road was rocky, perhaps not as bad as the last precariously slippery slope. There were considerations to be made on both sides to make the foundation strong. “No running. Not even thinking about it. We make it what we want. We go big, make all the jealous bitches take notice, or we keep it low key, hot and crazy. Throw in a few big events.” He lifted an eyebrow. “What do you want, no limits? What’s the dream?” ~~~
“Maybe a little.” Or maybe a lot at times even though he knew he had no right to be. “Mostly though...I wondered why you didn’t tell me about him. If there was a reason why you weren’t being honest about it.” If Damon had been deliberately trying to keep them from knowing about each other. But he didn’t know how to put that into words outloud.
“When have you ever known me to be good with staying low key Damon? Subtle is not a word normally found in my vocabulary.” He said, pausing in his almost mindless playing so that he could grab his drink and down half of it. “No limits? Me getting to keep both you and Tony in my life, getting to keep my...relationships with both of you.” That was the only word he could think of to describe what was going on for him with both men.
*** “A little?” His eyebrow arched again and there was a smile there. He was happy about it. Damon was a jealous bitch when the mood struck. He understood it. “Alex was a complication more than anything. He looked like an ex, and that was an instant draw, but unfortunately none of that depth. I knew he was temporary, and you and I didn’t have any real commitment. We both did what we wanted. He didn’t know about you either. Also - “ he was thoughtful for a minute, “I didn’t want to lose you. I’m okay with him being gone, back to the idiot that he can control at will. You were the one that kept me coming back. You also don’t look like my ex.” Sam was a different story entirely.
“Then we go loud. I don’t have a problem with it.” He wasn’t sure how much of the rest would be a problem. He had a better sense of Stark, or was getting one, and it hadn’t changed his hunch. How would it play out? “Do you think you can keep to only two? And what about me?” Did he get a bit on the side, not that he really wanted one?” He didn’t want something cheap. Cheap sex could get him off, but he found it boring, and he was tired of it.
***
“You sound almost disappointed that I wasn’t more jealous.” Thomas said a little smile playing across his face to show he was teasing. “Because we didn’t have any real commitment so I didn’t let myself think about it too much. Distracted myself with other things. Other people sometimes.” He tried to sound casual about it but wasn’t sure if it actually worked. Not that those distractions had worked for more than a couple days. Tony wasn’t a distraction though - he was something else entirely. Which was why he’d answered Damon’s question about what he wanted that way. Complete honesty.
“I’m pretty sure I can. I have been for the most part lately. Not a lot of people that could get my interest away from you two.” He set his guitar down on the floor so he could make sure that Damon knew he had his full attention. “If you wanted to sleep with somebody else I’d deal with it. As long as you were honest with me about it. Not full details but...not hiding it from me. Be hypocritical of me otherwise right? If I get both of you I mean.” He’d seen what hiding did and that wasn’t what he wanted for his life.
*** “Maybe I am. Jealousy is a feeling. It’s pure - even if it’s based in anger. It’s also based in desire.” He knew all about that. This vampire was greedy, and sometimes that need was an entire raging mood. He knew he didn’t share well, and he’d keep guarded. Slipping that far into the deep of emotion was treacherous, and he’d barely made it the last time around. When he loved, he did it completely. Alex had kept him from reaching too far, but Alex wasn’t what he wanted at all. He wanted so much more.
He had some decisions to make and none were easy, but he wasn’t walking away. Instead, his blue eyes were intent, studying his lover. He’d have to play the hunch eventually. “Okay, so we keep this to the three of us, but I get one extra should I want it.” Likely he wouldn’t. There were few who piqued his interest like that. He’d passed his college years long ago, and preferred quality over quantity. “Maybe if we find a common interest, then we’ll see.” The smile was there, but his eyes were mischievous, even a little dangerous. It was a look that Thomas would know well enough.
There was one question that he had considered before, and maybe they needed a little detour from this. “What are you in the dreams?” As with most people on the network of dreamers, there was something, and that something could shift the entire dynamic. ***
Thomas moved closer to Damon on the couch when he admitted that he might have been a little disappointed in the fact he hadn’t been more jealous. “Well in my defense...I was working hard to convince myself that I didn’t have a right to be jealous at all. And failing miserably at that.” It was his turn to reach out and push a strand of hair back out of his lovers face. “After I told you how I’d grown up, how I started my career I had to give up lying to myself. I’ve never hidden that part of my past but I don’t talk about with people I care about. You’re the only person I’ve talked about it with since the interview about that movie actually. I had to admit that things were changing.” And it had scared him on some level and he’d thought about running, and he was going to have to talk to Bela when she got back from wherever she’d fucked off to about just ditching that way, but he was glad he hadn’t. Even if he had had to go talk to Jaina for some perspective, and someone to tell him what he’d already known deep down was the answer.
He smiled back at him when he saw that familiar look in Damon’s eyes. “A common interest? Any ideas of where we should start looking?” He asked, curiosity perking up. He got serious though at that question from the blue eyed man. He licked his lips nervously as he got ready to answer. “Bastard son of Lord Raith, leader of the White Court of vampires. We feed off emotions as well as blood. Apparently I’ll get some ability to manipulate peoples emotions at some point but so far I haven’t noticed it.” Some things didn’t change from one reality to the next he guessed - he was a bastard in both worlds. Literally and, judging from the way he seemed to treat his date there at least, figuratively too at times. “Supposedly we’re the lesser evil among the vampires as far as the wizards seem concerned.”
*** One of the secrets to Damon was contact. Getting close to him could dissolve his anger, and jealousy and turn him softer like a junkie to a needle after a dry spell. “I was watching. You were tethered together with those people. I wasn’t a fan.” He had to laugh at himself, but it was the truth. He had to make sure that connection, as tenuous as it was at the time, stayed intact. He hadn’t pressed Alex for any sort of commitment because he hadn’t wanted one. “You didn’t have much to worry about, but I still like it.”
He shook his head at the thought of another ‘common interest’. “Nothing on a permanent basis. Maybe a toy for a night should that be the mood. I don’t even know if I can share well.” He leaned into the touch, licking his lips. “I’ll be careful though.” The one and only time he’d tried something like that, he failed, but he had been in way too deep. He wasn’t going to run. If he did, he’d regret it. Those emotions were intoxicating and intense, and he ran high on them. When he took the man to bed later, he was going to show him how that could be.
The last thought made his eyebrows raise. It figures that Thomas was a vampire, feeding off emotions no less. His brain lit up. “I should have known that. You and I are alike, maybe not quite identical. You haven’t transitioned yet though.” It was a statement, not a question. “I’ll have to help you when you do. Transition is not fun. When all the senses come in, and that hunger, it’s hard to control, and harder to resist. Are you a daywalker in dreams?” Damon was, but only thanks to one of the gifts. He’d have to find a witch or warlock for Thomas’ ring. ****
Thomas frowned at that reminder of when he’d been stuck with Anakin and Padme. “I wasn’t a fan of that mess either.” If he wanted to be blamed for things outside of his control he’d reach out to one of his relatives. “If I’d gotten a vote in who I was tethered too - I wouldn’t have picked them.” Between being blamed for them all waking up in his bed that morning to being treated like shit for being honest about who he was. Made to feel like there was something wrong with him for the fact that he noticed whether someone was attractive or not when they first met.
“Why do you think I only want minimal details if you actually have an extra? I’m not too sure how good I’ll be at the sharing either. Uncharted territory for me here.” This was the first relationship of any sort he’d been in. And true to form he wasn’t going to ease into it. He wanted everything or nothing.
“Not yet. I’m kind of excited about the aging slowing down though when I do.” He thought for a moment before shaking his head. “Pretty sure I have to be covered if I go out in the sun once I do. Even though my mom wasn’t a vampire. Too much of my dad and his side of the family.”
***
Damon laughed, listening to him talk. So this one was the winner. Who would have thought? Alright then. “No, you would have picked me. I’m the most fun and we could have just said fuck the world and spent it all in bed.” He shrugged like it was quite simple, and maybe it was.
“Your first relationship? Ever?” He was a little surprised. He had them occasionally through school, then again in college, although that was mostly party time, and he wasn’t really a faithful guy. He was easy on the eyes, and got what he wanted. “I’m not great at it, but I’ve learned along the way. Dream me is a lot like me. He stayed in love with the same woman for a hundred years, then she broke him. Okay, maybe dream me was part idiot.” Again the soft laugh came. It stopped abruptly, and his hand slid over Thomas’ face. “In the end, it will be me. You and I are too alike.” Stark knew it too, but Damon kept that to himself.
“Age slowed for me already. I’ve been a vampire for five years, and I like it. You already know all that. I am a day walker because of the ring.” He always had it on, a blue lapis lazuli with the family crest and the letter D. “If I can find someone, I might be able to get you one too. I almost burned up out there without it.” He wasn’t about to tell that story either, or whether it was a dream or his own reality. “Enjoy it though. Feed, take it in.” His fangs were showing. “Feed on me like I do. Vampire blood sharing is like a fucking orgasm, so much more than humans.” ****
“In bed or on your couch. It would have been a lot more fun with you. Although I did get to give that bride the thrill of her life by having to attend her wedding.” Thomas said reaching out to just touch Damon’s hair where it was falling near his face. It would have been better if he’d gotten to spend that time with Damon. Even with the fact they’d both been okay with whatever they were not being anything defined then. Less stressful on him.
“First relationship ever.” He shrugged like it was no big deal. Sex and attraction had been tools he used to get his way in high school and when establishing his career. And now they were things he did mostly because he enjoyed them. But also for a while because he knew it’s what people wanted from him mostly. They were tools he could use to get what he wanted from people. That had changed since sticking around in California for him though. The sex was still something he enjoyed but the meaningless partners...that he was having to accept he was done with. “I never met anyone I wanted one with before. Or that I knew wanted to be with me for me.” He leaned lightly into Damon’s touch, enjoying it while he could. “You’re lucky I like it when you’re cocky,” was the only response he could give it at that simple assurance that he’d pick Damon in the end. He wasn’t sure himself either way, but it looked like he wasn’t going to have to choose right then.
“Were you in love with that woman here?” He asked, eyes going from the always constant ring to Damon’s and then back as he noticed the details he’d missed before in it. “You’re making me jealous I haven’t changed yet. You realize that don’t you? I want to experience all of that for myself.” He knew how it felt when Damon drank from him when they were in bed and that rush was part of what had kept drawing him back as they got to know each other more.
*** “We would have fallen off the couch, on the floor, and I’d push your hands over your head and have a small nip off the vein, and we’d end up destroying the house, but it would be quite the adventure. Maybe we should try it sometime.” It was hard to tell if he was being serious, but he was. He was up for a lost weekend requiring no clothing and minor nourishment.
“There are relationships, and then there is the crazy rush of that real thing. The feelings will choke the shit out of you, or make you fly.” He missed that flight, crazy as it was. He didn’t want to crash again, but that high was worth it. He really hadn’t been able to commit before, at least not until he settled some things, but now they were here, and he wanted to be here. The choice would happen in it’s own way, but none would be shut out. It helped that he liked Tony, at least in an ‘I’m not going to try and bleed you dry’ sort of way, and he gave the man some respect that that insane brain, and for whatever reason, Tony seemed to like having Damon around - although that was likely for Thomas.
“I’m not sure if you want to hear about all that. I wasn’t involved with the one who screwed me over in dreams, but I was with Elena. Then something happened in dreams and I was angry. I was also spending time with someone else. I ended up wrecking both, and it took a long time to heal.” Five years, and a bar named Purgatory later to be exact. “The twist is that was the start of my attraction to both men and women. When it comes to men, there have only been three.” His lips ended up on Thomas’s as the confession fell from his own. ****
“Are we going to destroy your house or mine having this adventure?” Thomas asked, eyes sparkling with mischief. Might be easier at Damon’s to have it without any interruptions. Without anybody coming in to distract either of them from each other. There was a difference between being honest, which he was with both Damon and Thomas, and being an ass. It might have taken him a while to realize it but he had. And now he was just figuring out how to stay on the side of honest without being an ass.
“So which am I supposed to be looking for? The choking the shit out of me or that feeling of flying?” He wasn’t sure he’d be able to live with feeling choked, it scared some part of him. Some part of him that he didn’t want to listen to because it was going to make him screw this up somehow if he did and he just knew it.
“If you want to talk about it I want to hear about it. But not tonight.” Thomas told him with a slight nod. Tonight he didn’t want to hear about how Damon’s life with Elena had blown up. He kissed him back, nipping gently at Damon’s lips, welcoming the distraction of kissing the other man again from the topic of his lovers’ past. He wanted to learn it. Just maybe in small pieces. Over time. Since...running was done for both of them it seemed.
***
“Mine,” the vampire readily agreed. Yes, this plan was a go. He’d make the time off, a sheer benefit of ownership of the clubs. How he wanted that transition to happen. He brought Thomas’ finger to his lips, pricked it with a fang, and swiped it with his tongue. Just a taste. All the while, he watched the dark haired man with those piercing blue eyes. He wasn’t apologetic about who he was. He could be an ass, but he was also honest. They really were alike in that regard.
He laughed at the question. “Flight first. The choke is when you crash and try to breathe at the same time. The trick is not to crash.” And he knew just how big of a trick that was. He knew how addicting that flight was too. There was nothing like it.
It was funny how easily distracted they could be, and Damon wasn’t too focused on previous disasters. The ghosts of lovers past was never in the way when Thomas was around. Maybe because he was so different from both Elena and Samandriel. Even Alex, if he was included in that group. He didn’t much care at the moment. He was on the move, putting down the guitar to capture those lips, pushing him back into the cushions. He wasn’t running. ***
Thomas couldn’t pinpoint what it was but there was something very arousing to him in seeing Damon tasting his blood that way. It always had been. Even just a tiny drop like that. He licked his lips as he stared into Damon’s eyes, willing to fall into them entirely.
This was how it always was with them - conversation for a little bit, getting to know each other a little more each time before things turned physical. They could always talk more later. Or in the morning. Or both. He pulled Damon closer to him as he let himself be pushed back, tugging on Damon’s hair.
*** Six years ago, pre-dreams, Damon never would have imagined getting a sense of someone by drinking their blood. Even the smallest taste told him a lot. The willingness to let him, to trust him, told him more. Everyone was different in the way they tasted, but the ones he cared about would always tease his senses relentlessly. Only three had been on that level, and one was here.
He’d take the offered hand and mouth. He was greedy and hungry, which meant heat. He nipped, teasing as he pulled off the man’s shirt. Talk was done for now, but he was blending it with the physical, and the low growl that was a turn on in itself. His own shirt went next, discarded to a pile on the floor, followed by the demanding mouth. Fangs pricked the man’s lip, just enough to draw himself another bead of blood. It wasn’t time to drink yet, but he would. ***
Thomas let his hands roam over Damon’s torso as he kissed him hungrily, whining just a little at that nip. He knew how much he enjoyed those little bites. Almost as much as when Damon drank from him. He was rarely on the receiving end in his dreams of that rush so he relished it with his lover. Knowing that Damon enjoyed it too. Realizing for the first time that night how transparent he probably was with how he felt for the blue eyed man when he gave him a taste. And he thought he’d been so careful, so cautious in hiding his feelings. He pulled away from their kiss so he could catch his breath and then nipped at Damon’s lip. Just enough for the other man to feel it without drawing blood.
*** It was the transparency that drew the vampire in and made him stay. Games were only fun for a minute, never serious, and never lasting. If he wanted that, he’d run after Alex. He had been starving for something real for years, someone who would stay and not forget. Even more - someone who could accept him as him. How long had that been? When he kissed thomas back, it was full of need and that greed for whatever he would give him. Clothes flew and landed where they would mixed in a jumbled heap. With his usual guards down, he changed things, took the time to touch skin, examine details with lips and tongue, more intense than just sex. He was committing Thomas to memory from head to toe. It was all feeling and sensation, designed to reach past the flesh into feeling. Sex was sex, but this was more - the intimacy that could both build and destroy.