Kaleb Krychek (kalebkrychek) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2018-07-23 17:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !log, [plot] final countdown, ~25 points, ~~kaleb krychek (kalebkrychek), ~~~sarissa (ladyofsummer) |
WHO: Kaleb Krychek and Sarissa
WHERE: Sarissa’s home
WHEN: Sunday, July 8 (backdated)
WHAT: The end of times?!
RATING: PG
STATUS: Closed; log; on-going (continuing in comments)
After noticing the large clock counting down, Kaleb had considered his next options carefully. In general he was pleased to return to his time and place as there was much he needed to complete - a woman to find, revenge to seek, a Net to control - and the core of darkness that lived within him would be easier to battle with the chance to complete those tasks. The enforced idleness of Madison Valley did not sit well with him - his power a growing and gnawing thing in his soul. On the other hand, Kaleb knew that he wanted to see whatever was between him and Sarissa to its final point. Perhaps it was the darkness in him that craved her light. Though whether that darkness would consume her or allow it to flood in was not something Kaleb could predict. He knew that regards he would never become a ‘good’ person or conceive of a conscience, but it would be worth it to see what would happen in a controlled environment. And it was good training for when he found Sahara. The if he did not find her was a time that the darkness would be let free to enact its will. But as it was not within the realm of possibility at the moment, Kaleb was willing to step outside of that timeline. At the appropriate time, Kaleb appeared outside of Sarissa’s door. Dressed casually in a pair of combat fatigues he had found and a t-shirt, the requisite bottle of wine in his hand, Kaleb knocked on the door. He waited for it to be opened, his mind sensing Sarissa inside coming towards him. Odd how he was linked to her. Part of him, again odd to his martial way of thinking, wished to explore the sunlight of her mind that twined through his, but Kaleb kept that part ruthlessly blocked. Their link was of necessity, not pleasure and he had vowed not to intrude and so he reined in his interest. Perhaps there would be time for that exploration today. *** Fortunately, Fix was not here at the moment. Sarissa had left him in the grove she’d created during the Solstice, when the Summer Lady had once again taken her over. Having Fix around was awkward enough; she didn’t want him around when she had to explain him to Kaleb. She sensed his arrival before he knocked; the link between them was still there, humming away in the back of her mind. She wondered, belatedly, how it had felt on his side when the Summer Lady had been present. There were more pressing things to discuss, though: the clock over the town being the key thing. It did shoot a hole in her theory that it was a natural phenomenon, but it also raised more questions than it answered. Perhaps between the two of them, they could figure something out. She opened the door, dressed in a t-shirt and a short skirt that showed off her long, tanned legs, and beckoned him in. “Come in. Food is almost ready.” It wasn’t the rich meal she would have wanted it to be, but for the sake of his still-developing palate, she’d kept the meal simple. *** Those black eyes, nearly barren of the pinpricks of light that were typical of most cardinal eyes, ghosted across Sarissa’s skin. It was odd how her skin impacted him. Though not tactile by nature and having been brutally taught that nothing good came from touch, Kaleb was fascinated by his interested in Sarissa. In general, he’d never been interested in anyone as a person outside of Sahara, but Sarissa seemed to be his exception rather than his rule. Entering and closing the door behind himself with a negligible use of his telekinesis, Kaleb followed her in. His gaze missed nothing and he was forced to inquire, “Where is the Fix you spoke of? And perhaps I should inquire, as it was not clear in your words, whether it is animal or human?” As they entered further into her space, Kaleb felt a deeper tug of her part of their connection. He considered the link for a few moments before turning his attention to her. *** “He’s my guard,” Sarissa said as she made her way to the kitchen. Given how much there was left to say between them, she didn’t get any further into the explanation. The awkwardness and discomfort between them was still too raw and fresh to talk about, and she didn’t want to have Kaleb coolly dismantle her feelings about having a bodyguard forced upon her when her twin sister had brutally murdered the true love of said guard. As far along as he had come when it came to understanding emotions, that particular tangle of jealousy, hate, love and commitment to duty would be beyond him. So pulled a homemade bottle of wine from the fridge and lifted it up in invitation. “I think you should at least try a few things outside your wheelhouse before you go back to boring nutrient bars and water.” *** ‘Guard’ answered none of Kaleb’s questions. Interesting. He rather wanted to poke at her to see what he could truly get out of her. There had to be a specific reason she didn’t give him a direct answer. Kaleb’s eyes looked at her with consideration, but he kept his questions to himself. Kaleb shook his head slightly. “I don’t think losing control over my abilities is a wise a choice,” he commented. “While I agree with the sentiment, I don’t believe anyone would like me to lose control over my abilities. Whatever Madison Valley is, regardless of its ending, it does not deserve to end buried under a volcano or broken apart in an earthquake.” “Though I am willing to concede on other things,” Kaleb continued. *** “Mm,” Sarissa said, obviously not impressed by the excuse. He had power, it was true: immense power, enough to level the town. But she had power too, more than even he did. If she needed, she could contain him. Besides, he was apparently willing to concede on some other things that could very well shake his self control. Sarissa had a good idea what it was - he’d been asking for it for a while - but she still gave him an innocent look over the bottle. “And what might that be?” *** Clearly she didn’t believe him. Interesting. There had to be a reason that she felt it was acceptable for him to lower his barriers. He didn’t agree with her, but he didn’t feel any need to correct her supposition. As there was not time for him to correct all her misunderstandings about his abilities, Kaleb let the words go. Sitting down, Kaleb sprawled out in the chair, long legs in front of him crossed at the ankles. “I don’t believe that you need me to redefine the things that I am willing to concede on. Your memory is not that faulty.” A brief smile crossed his features as he watched her, wondering what she had in mind. *** Sarissa batted her lashes at him. “Maybe I just like to hear you say it.” She liked to tease him. He took things so seriously, it was fun to surprise him and take him out of his comfort zone. Already he had come a long way from the stiff, emotionless man he had been when she’d first met him, and she was proud of both him and herself. Maybe, by helping him find his humanity, she might be able to keep hers. She set down the wine bottle and placed her elbows on the table, and her chin on her folded fingers. “Won’t you say it?” *** “Liking to hear me speak specific words is a rather unusual preference,” Kaleb commented dryly, his wry sense of humor coming to the fore. “One would not think that foreplay would include the stating of ‘I would like to have sex with you’.” Kaleb then leaned forward, the brush of his telekinesis ghosting across the skin of her arm, moving up the bared skin. “From the research I have undertaken, words do not seem to be a form of foreplay chosen by many. Perhaps you are different,” Kaleb continued, his eyes sparking, “a more… oral technique appealing to your intelligence as well.” Throughout the discussion his tone was cold and formal, the kind of tone one would use if discussing finances or banking or something far more dry than sexual interest. “But,” Kaleb said after a moment’s pause, leaning back in his chair, “I was actually referring to eating whatever it was you were providing for dinner and not overly worrying about the sensory over load.” *** Sarissa had to laugh at that. “Well done,” she said, clearly appreciative of his teasing. “Look, you learned to flirt.” She lowered her voice into a confidential tone. “It was pretty sexy.” Which was probably the first time anyone had called such dry tones sexy, but she definitely was different. “Now, speaking of oral….” She gave him a slow smile. “I have a feast for your tongue.” *** Kaleb hadn’t quite realised that such things were considered flirting. Many of the manuals about the sex act that he had read did not talk about words as ways to seduce others. Perhaps his manuals were not complete. Or perhaps, and more likely, the manuals did not take Sarissa into account. “A feast,” he inquired, those black eyes looking her over carefully, “for my tongue. That sounds… intriguing.” Perhaps that correlated to Sarissa’s version of flirting. He did find that he was interested, based on her description. More than that, he found her word play showed clear intelligence. “How long do I have to wait to discover what you have for me?” he asked, watching her carefully. *** “Why wait? I can see you’re already ready and eager.” She gave him a bright smile and poured herself a glass of wine, then set it back in the fridge to chill. That done, she went to the stove, where she pulled the lid off a dutch oven and peered inside. “I,” she declared dramatically, “am going to give you something hotter and spicier than you’ve ever encountered.” Which, really, given his bland palate, really wasn’t that hard. She hadn’t gone too far into the spiciness with her paella, but she thought it was a good step towards trying out different flavours for him. *** “Hotter and spicier?” Kaleb parroted. While he well knew she was talking about the food she was investigating, Kaleb decided that if words were something that elevated her interest in him, he would provide further words. Besides, it would be an effort that would provide him further instruction on the nature of seduction. Kaleb stepped closer to her, crowding her slighting towards the stove both with the sheer size of his body as well as the wall of his power. “I believe both those words would best describe you,” Kaleb commented, again in that calm and cold tone of voice. *** “Flatterer,” Sarissa said, batting her lashes outrageously at him. The more stoic and cold he was, the more she wanted to shake him out of it. It gave her a small thrill of pleasure every time she was able to shake his calm, knowing that she was the only one who could do it. At the same time, she did appreciate his logical calm. She’d heard a lot of flattery and pretty words from men over the years, and she’d found that the more smoothly they flowed, the more practiced and insincere the man was. Kaleb, she knew, only told her the truth. She spooned a small dollop of paella and offered it to him, still holding the spoon. “Taste it.” *** His eyes considered the spoonful of food carefully. While Kaleb intellectually knew what the food was he had no experience with what it could possibly taste like. But, oddly, he trusted Sarissa. She had never done anything that made him worry that she would use her power against him. Deciding that he could risk it, Kaleb accepted the mouthful. He savoured it for a moment before chewing and swallowing. It was extremely flavorful considering what he was normally used to at home. Though it definitely left behind a mental explosion, things sparking across brain. The taste was good though and Kaleb appreciated how it stretched him. “Excellent dish.” He stepped back slightly. “Shall we eat first and discuss the situation about the town?” *** |