dorian & godric

[brushoff]

Christ, how Dorian hated Texas.

It was the best and worst of America. There still was so much space, plenty of towns barely hanging on, hardscrabble little places that were trying to make their move, the drive and determination and chutzpah that Dorian adored of the America in the past. America in the 1920s was great. A feisty nation, determined to prove itself on the world's stage, bright and brilliant and ready to take on the challenge.

But the Texas cities? The cities were horrible. Large, ugly things almost crushed under the weight of their own self-importance and overpasses. Forgotten centers where all residents fled to cookie-cutter nigh identical houses set in towns created solely for the purpose of commuting. People didn't thrive in places like that, with their subdivisions and big box stores and fucking Targets. You lived there, but you didn't thrive. And Dorian Gray was always looking for something new, something bright and breathing and alive.

Granted, a shitty little dive bar wasn't exactly what most people thought of when they thought of 'alive.' But Dorian had been lingering around Dallas long enough that a few things had gained his interest. The coming out of the closet, so to speak, of vampires had been the big one. Idly, he wondered what Toby would have thought of it all—he felt so alone for so long. Would vampire advocacy groups or these cute little pamphlets have changed anything? Or would the Sunday morning cable news services about how all vampires are damned have made things worse? There's no way of knowing. But Dorian wanted to learn more about this himself.

Try as he may to fit in, it's obvious that Dorian is here for something. He flirts with the waitress and casually asks a few questions about vampire activity in the area. He loses a game of pool but presses his competition whenever they bring up 'fangs.' This is the third day in a row he's made some not-so-subtle inquiries about vampires, something's got to give eventually. He's British as hell, the accent is a dead giveaway, so might as well lean into the obviousness and see what happens.

And as he slips out of the back door of the dive bar, stepping outside to light up a cigarette, Dorian's certain that something will happen. What precisely? He doesn't know.

Comments

[brushoff]

"What?" Dorian says, with a little frown. He looks over at the rearview mirror and ah. "Shit. That's going to be annoying."

Dorian pulls over to the side of the road, waiting for the cops to pull up behind him. A mask of innocence creeps over his face. Dorian has absolutely flirted and played dumb to get out of tickets before and he 100% is going to do it this time.

"Is there a problem, officer?" he asks, absolutely playing up the big, dumb, innocent twenty-something personality that he knows his face implies.

[loveisall]

Godric puts a hand on Dorian's shoulder and leans in, meeting the officer's eyes. Fortunately, it's night, which means that he isn't wearing sunglasses.

The cop doesn't look away, doesn't blink, and Godric grips Dorian's shoulder tightly until the man straightens up.

"You can go," the vampire tells Dorian softly.

[brushoff]

"I could have flirted my way out of this."

Just saying! Godric didn't have to use whatever vampire bullshit he used (because Dorian is certain this is vampire bullshit). But he puts the car in drive and pulls back on the interstate, making damn sure to actually go the speed limit this time.

"I've done it before—it's easier than you think."

[loveisall]

And Godric places a kiss to Dorian's cheek. "I just erased his memories," he murmurs to him. "And perhaps I wanted to show off a little, too."

[brushoff]

"You tease," Dorian laughs, grinning still. "Vampire overlord of Texas and you're still showing off for a pretty boy."

[loveisall]

He sits back again, shrugging one shoulder lightly. "Of course I am. I have to keep you interested."

And there's a little truth to it. Godric is worried about becoming obsolete. About Dorian growing bored with him and wandering off to find something else, something more interesting. He doesn't think he could bear it.

[brushoff]

"You must think I'm so fickle," Dorian teases, as he adjusts his position, one hand on the wheel, the other straying towards Godric's thigh.

Annoyingly, it's working. Dorian has always been far too curious for his own good—this doesn't change that. Why not poke around and ask questions and learn about this interesting man?

[loveisall]

"Aren't you?"

He puts a hand over Dorian's. "I admit that I have no interest in seeing you go elsewhere."

[brushoff]

“You’ll find that when someone holds my attention, I can be very persistent,” Dorian grins. He’s fickle, he’ll admit that. But at the same time, he knows damn well how monogamous he can be when the situation calls for it.

Toby’s proof of that. Alyssa was proof as well.

“The thing is, you’ve got to hold my attention. And frankly? You’re doing a grand job right now. Stop worrying.”

[loveisall]

He grips Dorian's hand a little tighter. "I do now. But I am not as interesting as you make me out to be in your head, Dorian."

[brushoff]

“Funny. I could say the same thing about myself.”

They’re coming up on their exit. For a moment, it seems like Dorian absolutely isn’t going to use the turn signal and is going to continue driving like an asshole. But he signals, slows down, then takes their exit.

“I wonder what will happen when we learn enough about each other that we become bored—or if we’ll even become bored in the first place.”

[loveisall]

"I don't grow bored of mine," he warns him gently, turning to place a kiss to his neck. "Keep going down this road. It will be a few miles and then a left, I believe."

He knows, but it sounds nicer when he pretends to be humble.

[brushoff]

Godric will grow bored of him. Or he’ll grow bored of Godric. It’s the curse of immortality, to be forever stagnant, forever the same as the world around you changes. To be a phantom haunting the edges of things.

Or who knows. Maybe Dorian’s being an overdramatic little shit and this time will be different. Maybe they’ll live together in happy post-coital bliss for the rest of eternity.

Maybe. But there’s enough of Toby in Godric that Dorian isn’t so sure.

“So, do we have a game plan? Shall we go in, guns blazing tonight or wait until tomorrow evening? No matter what, I suggest that afterwards we find a hotel with a shower big enough that I can fuck you in it.”

[loveisall]

"We still have plenty of moonlight," he tells Dorian. "We'll show up and I'll let you go in. Assess who's there and how many. Then we can go to a hotel and you can get some sleep."

He pats Dorian's hand affectionately.

[brushoff]

They’re close enough to the outpost and far enough from civilization that Dorian cuts off the car’s headlights. Best to give them as much of a chance at surprise as possible.

“You have me doing recon? How James Bond of you. Put me in a tuxedo next time, you’ll be able to see how grand I look.”

[loveisall]

"Is that not your job? Is that not your strength?" he murmurs. "Just don't get too involved and offer to bring someone home."

[brushoff]

“And what would happen if I did bring someone home?” Dorian teases. “Would that make you jealous? Maybe I’d like that to happen.”

[loveisall]

Godric can't help the way he snarls a little, the way his fangs grow sharp in his mouth, behind his lips. He tries to hide it, but there are some things so ingrained in vampire biology and this is one of them.

[brushoff]

And Dorian is immediately turned on. It is blatantly obvious that seeing Godric snarl, seeing him actively be a bit jealous, is absolutely sexy to him.

"I'll have to do that then. Because already you're making me hot."

[loveisall]

Godric gives him a bit of a pinch in the side. "You need to focus," he tells him firmly, breathing through the arousal and the possession. His fangs retract, but he's still tense.

[brushoff]

Dorian lets out a little giggle, a snicker as he sees Godric’s tenseness. “I’m going to leave you wanting,” he teases. “You’re going to sit in this car as I do renaissance, knowing damn well that I’m going to be flirting, teasing, worming my way into the good graces of anyone there.”

A hand strays towards Godric’s crotch, lightly resting on it, before Dorian brings his hands to himself and starts to step out of the car.

[loveisall]

He seems calm on the outside. Dorian's words give nothing but a roll of his eyes, but there is one hand on the handle of the car and it squeezes the plastic so tightly that it cracks a little.

"Go on, then."

[brushoff]

There’s a bit, ridiculous shit-eating grin on Dorian’s face as he hears the plastic crunch. Yeah, he’s absolutely going to be taking advantage of the fact that Godric’s a jealous little shit. “I’ll see you soon,” he grins, before hopping out of the car, ready to get as much intel as he can about a place and a cult that, let’s be real here, will probably be set on fire tomorrow night.

[loveisall]

Godric glares daggers at his back, and the welcome that he receives from the building is no different.

A burly man with a beard, arms the size of a bear's, stands at the entrance.

"Can I help you?"

[brushoff]

Dorian gives the burly man a wide, cheerful, useless little grin. He knows that his accent immediately pegs him as 'dumb tourist' and he is perfectly fine playing that part to the hilt.

"My car broke down a few kilometers back. I've already called a mate to pick me up, but he'll take a bit and I'd prefer not to wait alone, outside, in the dark. Mind if I pop inside until he shows up? I shan't be a bother."