Tristan Dahler (emptyinside) wrote in lab_rinth, @ 2015-08-27 22:00:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !week twelve, elijah whitaker, seth hart |
Who: Elijah and Seth
When: Week Twelve: Friday, February 20, late evening
Where: Seth's place
Warnings: angst, innuendo
Elijah had a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach, and he’d learned long ago to trust those feelings when they happened. First of all, he’d had a completely disconcerting experience on Tuesday evening when a man he’d never seen before had come to the restaurant for dinner and enthralled Elijah on first glance. The man had seemed to feel the same for Elijah, and right after the power had gone out, they’d exchanged numbers and texted feverishly into the night, right up until midnight. At that hour, Eli had snapped out of it and gone back through his texts incredulously. It made no sense. He hadn’t even thought of Seth during that long interval of time.
Something else was troubling him in that he hadn’t heard from Seth in days, and that was unusual for them. Sure, he could have texted his boyfriend, initiated contact, but he hadn’t. He’d felt too strange about what had happened, and it was only in the past few hours that he became aware that it was peculiar to have the complete silence on both sides. Had something happened to Seth too?
Eli was working, of course. The Lodge had been packed up until just a few moments ago. He’d have to go back to supervise the close, but he decided he could take a short break. The state of his uneasiness was such that he couldn’t keep still any longer without knowing what might have occurred. Quickly he left the restaurant and climbed into his car to make the short drive to Seth’s. He parked at the curb and got out, pocketing his keys and straightening his tie with a huff as he approached the front porch.
The few days of silence between Eli and Seth hadn't been a mistake. At least not on Seth's part. He had felt horribly guilty after his encounter with Max. He hadn't done anything wrong, really, he had wanted to. And there had been flirting. A lot of it. And fantasizing. Okay, so maybe it had been wrong, and that's why Seth had been avoiding Eli. He felt guilty. Really guilty. Like he had cheated on his boyfriend, even if he hadn't physically touched anyone else. Seth had noticed after a couple of days that he hadn't heard from Eli either. On some level, it had been a relief, because Seth was sure he would have blurted out everything if Eli had come around. On the other hand, it had also made Seth feel a bit pouty that he hadn't even got so much as a text asking if he was okay. It wasn't a fair thought, considering, and Seth knew that.
Tonight he was home, making ramen noodles with his phone in his hand, determined to send Eli a text. The guilt was still there, deep in his gut, but Seth knew he couldn't avoid his boyfriend forever. He didn't want to do that. Maybe once they saw each other again, everything would be okay. It wasn't like Max was going to tell Eli about their flirtation, right? God, but what if he had? What if that was why Eli had gone silent? Seth was trying to digest that bit of uneasy information when he saw headlights through the curtains.
Turning down the stove top, Seth wandered over and peeked out the window just in time to see Eli approaching. A mix of excitement and fear overwhelmed Seth and he considered hiding and letting Eli think he wasn't home. But god, how cowardly was that? Sighing, Seth set his phone down and walked over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open, a strained smile on his face.
It felt completely out of place, given how he was feeling.
"Hey. I thought you were working." A lame greeting, but it was out there, and Seth stepped back to let Eli in.
Elijah felt ashamed of himself as he gazed at Seth, and he noticed Seth didn’t look any more comfortable. It wasn’t even that Eli had really done anything except for hours of fervent texting with another man. It hadn’t even been sexting, but the intensity behind the messages bothered him a little. “I was,” he replied, stepping inside but making no moves toward Seth. That was very odd in itself; usually the moment he saw the other man he needed some kind of touch even if it was only taking his hand. “Taking a break.” He paused, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Have you been well?”
Because you couldn’t have asked that over text, the snarky voice in his head spoke up.
Seth hated that this felt so awkward. He had never felt uncomfortable with Eli before. And it wasn't Eli making him feel that way. It was himself, and his own actions, even though he hadn't really done anything. Avoiding Eli had probably only made it worse, somehow. He had the urge to step forward and wrap his arms around the other man, just for some sort of connection, but instead, Seth shifted uneasily and then moved to shut the door. Eli's question had him fumbling for an answer for a brief moment before he reached up to push his hair out of his eyes. "I guess. Yeah. I mean..." Seth trailed off, mentally berating himself for not being prepared with an answer. These questions were bound to happen eventually, right? He and Eli wouldn't have gone much longer without speaking. "What about you? Has it been busy at the restaurant?"
Even on their very first meeting, Elijah had never had the slightest moment of doubt or unease with Seth. Why did it feel like this now? “It’s always busy,” he said. Even with that, he’d made time to linger at Brian’s table the other night. His tie began feeling like it was trying to strangle him, so he jerked at it impatiently as he decided what he wanted to say next. Nothing seemed quite what he wanted, so finally he blurted, “Something doesn’t feel right. Has anything strange happened to you this week?” There had to be something. This was a longer silence than they’d had between them since they’d met.
Seth knew The Lodge was always busy. And he knew Eli was always busy when he was there. Which made this impromptu visit kind of nerve wracking. So did Eli's next question. Seth's brows lifted and disappeared beneath the hair that had fallen back into his eyes. "Strange?" God, he knew, didn't he? Max must have told Eli, or something. But there wasn't anything to tell, right? Was there? Seth stared dumbly at Eli before speaking again. "Uh... no. I mean, maybe?" This was getting worse the longer he hesitated and stumbled so Seth sighed and shook his head. "I guess so. If you can define it as strange." Miserable, Seth walked past Eli and slumped down on the couch. "I don't know what came over me. It was like I wasn't myself for awhile. And now I feel really crappy about it."
Eli had felt fairly certain of it anyway, but now he was sure: something had happened to Seth as well. He followed Seth to the couch and sat down carefully on the opposite end, tie hanging askew. “Something happened to me on Tuesday,” he said. “And it was just like you said. I was not myself, for no definable reason. Then at midnight, whatever it was… was gone.” He knew he wasn’t being very clear, was talking around it, but it was upsetting to him to lose autonomy in that way. In full possession of his senses, Eli would have never have done even the slightest thing to breach the fidelity he both practiced and insisted on with lovers. But he hadn’t thought of Seth at all during that fevered text message session, had indeed neglected his duties in order to carry it out.
Seth was slightly disheartened when Elijah sat on the other side of the couch, away from him. He clutched his hands together, bringing his bare feet up to rest on the edge of the coffee table in front of him. That sick feeling in his stomach grew as Eli spoke. Where they talking about the same thing? Had Elijah been lusting after someone else too? Maybe it had been some kind of screwed up magic going around and affecting Seth. That gave him some hope, although it didn't quell the guilt he felt over it. Seth studied Eli from the corner of his eye. "Did you do anything strange?"
It wasn’t that Eli didn’t want to be close to Seth but rather that he felt too unsettled. He knew what he’d done, but what had Seth done? Why had it happened? He had vague suspicions of what it had to be about, but he wanted to hear more before he decided for sure. “I did,” he said after a few moments to think over what he wanted to say. “I was going around to my guests’ tables like I always do, and there was a man who…” He shook his head slightly, at a loss for words. “I felt instantly drawn to him, and he seemed to feel the same about me. Someone I’d never seen before. I don’t react to people like that when I’m with someone… the possibility doesn’t even enter my mind. We spoke briefly, and then the power went out.” He hated to even imagine what he might have done if the town hadn’t lost power.
With a sigh, he raked one hand through his hair, leaving it slightly rumpled. “We exchanged phone numbers and texted throughout the evening. It felt like one of the more important things I’d ever done, finding out more about this man. Then at midnight, it was as if I’d been under a spell. It was over, like that.”
Seth's brows drew together in concentration as he listened. And no, he didn't like what he was hearing, but how could he get mad? The same thing had happened to Seth, hadn't it? Because he had been drawn to Max too. In a completely superficial, lustful way, but drawn to him, nonetheless. Still, it did bother Seth that Eli had been texting someone else all night. He knew that if he and Max had been alone, Seth would have probably done more to the guy than just text him, but... really, this whole situation was confusing and frustrating. Even if Seth wasn't wanting Max anymore, and even if Eli wasn't talking to whatever his name was... it had still happened. But why? Was it 'Rinth being Rinth'? Had there been some purpose? Rather than ask these important questions, Seth looked more fully at Eli. "Did you want to sleep with him?"
There were more than a hundred texts on his phone between himself and Brian, and Eli knew he should delete them, but he kept looking at them as if he could somehow figure out what the hell it had all been about. There’d been radio silence from Brian since first thing Wednesday morning, and Eli hadn’t tried to contact him either. Hadn’t wanted to, not even after all those texts where they’d told each other intimate details about themselves and their lives. “Not exactly,” he said, worrying at a fang with his tongue. “They weren’t dirty texts or anything like that.” It seemed important to clarify that. “I don’t understand why.” Finally he looked up to meet Seth’s eyes again. “Did you do anything strange?” He both wanted to know and didn’t.
Well, that was something of a relief. Even though it still got under his skin that Eli had been texting someone else. He wondered what the texts did say, if they weren't dirty. Had Elijah told this other guy about Seth? Had he felt bad about it, the way Seth had? He had more questions, but Elijah beat him to it, and Seth shifted uncomfortably on the couch. For the first time in his life, he shot a furtive glance toward the door, wishing for an impromptu visit from Holly, or lord help him, his mother. But they were alone, and it looked like it was going to stay that way.
Seth shifted his gaze back to Elijah. His boyfriend had been honest with him, as far as Seth knew, so it was only right to be honest in return. "I didn't do anything strange," Seth said after a moment of thought. "I mean, I guess I did. I don't... know. There was someone... and I guess I was drawn to him the way you were with... whoever. But it wasn't anything. It was like... flirting. And then I came home, because he was at work and--" And they couldn't exactly sneak off to exchange hand jobs while in public, right? Ugh. Seth blanched. "Nothing happened."
Eli had been expecting to hear something he wouldn’t like, but Seth’s vague description of the event made him even less happy than he’d expected. Who, and where, and what kind of flirting? Had there been touching of any sort involved? His possessive instincts made him want to know if another man had so much as brushed Seth’s arm or his shoulder. Seth was much more pale than usual, and Eli found himself trying to assess his heartbeat and breathing. Was he just nervous, or…? No. No, he wasn’t going to start assuming Seth was lying to him simply because he found the topic at hand upsetting. “Was he drawn to you, too?” he asked softly, his gaze shifting away again.
A part of him didn't want to look at Elijah. Seth didn't like upsetting people, and he was a little scared that Eli would get angry and leave. But the other man stayed sitting and Seth kept his eyes on his face, trying to read his emotions. "Yeah," he replied with a soft nod. Seth really, really didn't want to have to tell Elijah who it was, and he hoped Elijah wouldn't ask. Seth hadn't asked about his texting friend, after all. "I feel really crappy about it. That's why I haven't called, or texted you. I feel like... like I cheated somehow, even though I didn't touch him. I don't know what came over me, I swear."
Something had come over at least four different people, Eli thought. He shouldn’t have been that surprised given where they lived, but he hadn’t been messed with quite this personally before. “I feel as though I’ve done something wrong as well, even though I didn’t really,” he said. “It didn’t represent what I would have wanted to do, given the choice.” It had to be the town. There didn’t seem to be any way it could be anything else. Eli still didn’t like it, and he frowned down at his own lap for a few seconds. Finally glancing up, tentatively, he asked, “You’d tell me if you weren’t… satisfied with me, wouldn’t you?”
Seth felt the same way, and he felt a little better that Elijah was able to articulate it in a way Seth wouldn't have been able to. It didn't get rid of all the guilt, but it helped in some way, especially as it didn't seem as though Elijah was angry. His question, however, took Seth a little by surprise, and it probably showed on his face as he blinked. "Yeah, of course," he said, reaching over after a moment's hesitation to take Elijah's hand. "I wouldn't cheat on you, Elijah. Never willingly." Who knew what would have happened if Max hadn't been working, but Seth didn't want to think about that. Because it wasn't something he would have consciously done without some kind of external push.
Elijah was surprisingly insecure. It was a trait that not many people had had occasion to know about, given he hadn’t been in that many relationships in his long life. Yet another Rinth mindfuck didn’t dismiss the nagging uncertainty that maybe Seth had been swayed because Eli wasn’t satisfying him in some way. Seth touching him broke the ice, and Eli scooted closer, keeping their hands linked. “I wouldn’t either,” he said, even though the two of them had talked about their relationship being an exclusive one recently. Watching their hands, fingers twined, he added, “I didn’t like not feeling close to you the past few days.”
"Me either," Seth admitted with a small, sheepish smile. "I just... didn't know what to say. I guess I was afraid if you saw me, you would know something was wrong, and I was... well, being a coward about it. I'm sorry." Now that they had talked about it, and both realized something abnormal had been happening, Seth was realizing he should have reached out to Elijah sooner. He had known something wasn't right, because flirting with guys wasn't something Seth did, with or without a boyfriend. He was just too shy most of the time.
Eli had been known to flirt in the past, but it had mostly been on occasions when he wanted to charm somebody out of some of their blood. He was always professional at work, and he never would have dreamed of asking a customer for their phone number. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to worry about this sort of thing very often, because he was a worrier anyway; who needed more random things to concern them? “I know the phone works both ways,” he said sheepishly. “I’m sure you would have known something was wrong with me, too.” They knew each other well enough by now that it would’ve been obvious, he felt sure.
Seth wondered if that was true. Would he have been able to tell something was off with Elijah? Maybe. Or maybe the guilt over his own behavior would have distracted him too much to notice. "Can we just forget it happened?" Seth asked hopefully. "Whatever it was that had us acting crazy, it's obviously gone now." And what would be the point of dwelling on it? Seth could always apologize to Max later, if and when he saw the guy again.
There was no permanent harm done. Best Eli could figure, the town had pulled out some more of its considerable mojo. He didn’t like it, but what could either he or Seth do about it? “As long as we don’t forget the potential for things of that sort to happen,” he said, not sounding entirely convinced. He knew it made no sense for him to resent Seth for something he hadn’t been able to help, and vice versa. He just didn’t want them to skip off into the metaphorical sunshine without the awareness that they might need to be cautious. Abruptly, he leaned in to nuzzle at Seth’s neck, shuddering a little when his nose met warm skin, feeling the need to reconnect and maybe reclaim, somehow.
Sighing softly, Seth nodded. Elijah was right, of course. The town was... special. And not in a good way, if you asked Seth. He didn't like that the magic in Rinth could have him acting out of character, especially when those actions could have put his relationship with Elijah at risk. As much as Seth wanted to just forget it happened at all, he knew it would take a while. He hadn't behaved properly, but Elijah hadn't either, and it still bothered him on some level that he had spent so long texting someone else. Seth still wanted to ask what Eli and the mystery man had talked about, but he bit his tongue, distracted now by Eli's closeness, and the way he nuzzled Seth's neck. It sent a soft shiver through him, his fingers tightening briefly around Eli's. "Do you have to go back to the restaurant?" Seth murmured.
Eli was struggling with the undeniable urge to bite in, to drink from Seth and leave a mark that would let others know Seth was his. But biting likely wouldn’t be enough for him, and unfortunately he did have to go back to The Lodge, if only for a little while. He sighed his aggravation at that and then nuzzled some more, finishing up behind Seth’s ear. After planting a soft kiss there he lifted his head. “I do,” he said, his eyes heavy-lidded and filled with the strong desire he was feeling right then. “But I could come back in a couple of hours and stay the rest of the night.”
Seth was kind of hoping to feel those fangs against his skin, and he felt some disappointment when Elijah confirmed that he had to leave. After the last few days, and their conversation tonight, Seth would have preferred to keep Elijah for himself for awhile. But he understood that work was work, and he couldn't expect Elijah to ditch his responsibilities just for him. Seth managed a small smile, his mood lightened a bit by the possibility of Eli returning later. "I'd like that," he said. "I'll be here."
If there would have ever been a time Eli would have done just that, it would’ve been now. But he knew he would be concerned about the close-out being correct and making sure there was nothing that demanded his attention, and he wanted to be at a hundred percent for this. He let go of Seth’s hand in order to move his own hand to Seth’s shoulder, moving in close again to kiss him a little more deeply than he should have without his fang covers. “Sorry,” he breathed when he drew a bead of blood. His free hand slapped down on the back of the couch and dug in; he was aware of not wanting to grab onto Seth and grip too hard, hurting him. His control felt very shaky right then. “I don’t want to go,” he murmured, wanting to be sure Seth knew he was only leaving because he felt he had to. “When I come back, I want to take my time with you, taste you everywhere. Is that okay?”
He knew why Elijah was careful when they kissed, but sometimes Seth didn't mind the fangs. The tiny nick stung a little, but Seth licked at it with his tongue instinctively, his heavy lidded eyes watching Eli intently. "Yeah," he said breathlessly, feeling his pulse pick up. The next couple of hours alone were going to be torture, but Seth knew it would be worth it once Elijah returned. "Are you going to be okay?" He could tell Eli was struggling just then, and Seth was sure the scent of fresh blood probably wasn't helping anything.
Eli was trying to get a grip on himself, also thinking about how difficult it was going to be to go back to work and do work things when all he could think about was sex and feeding. He breathed out unnecessary breaths, taking his time about answering the question. Finally he shook his head and said ruefully, “As okay as I’m going to get with a hard-on made of steel.” He sat up and used both hands to hopefully put his hair to rights again and then set to work on his tie. “Any chance you could be naked when I return? That’d save some time.” He smiled and got up from the couch, knowing that was the first step in forcing himself toward the door.
Seth couldn't help but laugh, his eyes drifting down Eli's body to his crotch. It was flattering, that was for sure, and Seth had the urge to reach over and tug Eli's pants open himself, just to try and convince him to stay in a less appropriate way. But... Eli had stuff to do, and Seth would be there waiting, whenever he finished. "I'll see what I can do about losing the clothes," Seth promised, an easy smile curving at his lips then. He stood up and followed Eli to the front door, hating to see him go. "I'll leave the door unlocked, okay? Just... don't take too long."
Eli almost wanted to protest when Seth said he’d leave the door unlocked. Because Rinth. However, the thought of slipping inside and hopefully finding Seth in the bedroom without a stitch on was too tempting, so he held his tongue. Maybe they could have a couple of hours of good luck, for once. “It will be the fastest close out in the history of The Lodge, I promise,” he said fervently. One more quick kiss and he was out the door and across the lawn, keys in hand, hoping he could calm himself down a bit by the time he got to the restaurant.
Seth knew it was probably a little dangerous to leave his door unlocked... not really because of Rinth, but because his mother had a habit of letting herself in anytime she came over. He wouldn't put it past Holly to try the doorknob first too, if she happened by. So... maybe he would just lock the door until he knew Eli would be on his way over. No way did he need to traumatize his mom or sister, and himself, by lounging around naked if they decided to drop in. God, that would suck. He smiled at Elijah's parting back and didn't shut the door until Eli was in his car and pulling away from the curb. He felt loads better than he had before Elijah stopped by, and now he had something to look forward to. Locking the door, Seth took a quick sniff of his t-shirt before deciding a hot shower was in order before the night really got started.