judgementor | [Jikan IC Inbox][un: redwine]

[Dohalim vaguely remembers the stories of such mythical creatures in storybooks he'd read as a child; Red Wine certainly does look the part of a vampire, now that he thinks about it.

but as he listens to more of the other man's explanation, it does make sense, especially the subtle hesitations of biting down harder into his skin when Dohalim wants nothing more than for the man to mark him. he'd figured that Red Wine was just being careful, considering just how sharp his canines are, but for him to fear the idea of becoming a monster...

as Dohalim pulls his hand back from the back of Red Wine's neck, he gently cups the man's face, tugging him up to press a soft kiss to his lips]

You are not a monster. You never could be... To me, at least.

[honestly, the man could hurt him and he wouldn't think so. no, Red Wine is entirely too compassionate to be considered such an ugly thing]

I could. Even to you.

[It's said so simply, so gently, like a statement of fact. He leans his head into Dohalim's hand and half closes his eyes.]

I told you a little about Fallen Angels. I didn't tell you that Food Souls can become them too. [And that is what he fears. It isn't unheard of for Food Souls to become so corrupted by grief or rage that they turn into one of those things. Sometimes they can come back from it. Sometimes they don't go all the way. But those things are a small comfort.]

And I told you that I can sense your character by the scent of your blood. [The tips of his ears drop slightly.] And I can. But the smell of blood itself is dangerously intoxicating.

[He realises as the words leave him that he doesn't know if Dohalim will even believe him. Or, if he does believe him, will he still look at him in the same way?]

It's nearly taken me before. I know it could.

[with everything else he'd learned in his time in Nippon, as well as the other worlds that other people are from, it'd be silly of him to think that Red Wine is lying. no, the Food Soul had never done so in the past, so why would he do it now? so, of course Dohalim believes him.

as for how he views him... Dohalim shakes his head]

I still cannot see you as such.

[despite the confession of how intoxicating the scent of blood can make him (which, Dohalim will admit to himself silently, is an odd thought that he'll push away for the time being), and apparently how close Red Wine had become one of these Fallen Angels...]

You say you've nearly become one. And yet, here you are, not as a Fallen Angel, but as yourself.

[he kisses him softly again]

Who would ever consider you as a monster...

Someone-- saved me, back then. I suppose.

[Oh, but he won't tell him that. He'll never tell Steak that the sound of his voice hollering through the baroness' mansion had snapped him back to himself in a moment where he had been so close to giving in to his compulsions.

Red Wine shifts in close, kisses the line of Dohalim's jaw, and smiles a little.]

It's easy for people to fear what they don't understand. Sometimes all it takes is a few words.

This is an unfortunate truth.

[there's no point on denying that, at least. Dohalim had been the subject of such misunderstandings when he first ascended his lordship in his realm. but, then again, the Dahnans in the country were, understandably, afraid of him, afraid that he'd be just like every other lord before him. afraid that he'd let the Renan soldiers continue to mistreat them, almost torture them.

but, again, a thought to push aside so he can think about them at a later time. he shifts all of his focus on Red Wine, to help talk him through what seemed to weigh in his mind]

I may not know any other Food Souls, or if any of them are also in Nippon, but who would spread such terrible rumours about you? Who would go out of their way to say that you're some terrible creature?

[There's a smile on his lips as he pecks another kiss to Dohalim's lips. Despite what he's discussing he does feel relaxed, still. Comfortable. Maybe it's because it's all being so easily accepted.]

His name is Bloody Mary. He's another Food Soul.

[And is... unfortunately here. The only reason Red Wine hasn't killed him yet is that ignoring him actually bothers him more than confronting him head on, and Red Wine is entirely content with being a thorn in the other Food Soul's side.]

He despises me. Partly due to my close association with the companion I've mentioned, who he is... unfortunately obsessed with. [Very unfortunate...] Partly because I... killed his Master Attendant. Two hundred years ago.

[Dohalim's brow furrows at that; luckily, he'd never met the other Food Soul (that he knows of, at least), but if he were to come across him... Dohalim isn't one to retaliate on behalf of someone else. however, he would be so inclined to give the man a piece of his mind]

I understand that he may still be hurt over the death of his Master Attendant, but... He had spread rumours about you because he is jealous?

Edited 2021-12-16 01:11 (UTC)

[Red Wine laughs at that. Not because it's entirely untrue but because the reality of the deep animosity between himself and Bloody Mary isn't something that can be explained so easily.]

He hates me because I killed his Attendant. He also hates me because he desires Steak, and Steak has barely left my side in over two hundred years. As for why he desires him. [A soft sigh puffs out of him. He settles himself very comfortably against Dohalim's warm frame and leans in for another soft kiss.]

Bloody Mary has a similar inclination towards blood as I do, but he's... [He shakes his head.] We're different.

[there's just something about this Bloody Mary that doesn't sit right with Dohalim. hopefully he never has to meet the Food Soul.

as they kiss, another thought wanders into Dohalim's mind for a moment, one about this... Steak. as they pull away, he looks at Red Wine]

...Is Steak your lover?

[it would explain why they've been around each other for as long as they have been. his voice doesn't carry any sort of envy, but a simple curiosity]

[He goes quiet still for a moment and then pulls away from Dohalim, sitting up with a tight frown on his face. They had-- at the springs, but they hadn't really addressed it since and it was just easier not to.]

No.

[The answer comes out firmly, not giving room for argument.] He is my brother in arms and we have a mutual loyalty to one another, but he's also a borish lout who wouldn't know grace and good manners if they smacked him across the face.

[How he feels about Steak is so complicated. He's not entirely lying if he says he doesn't love him, because what he feels for him can't be described in so simple a word.]

He was the Food Soul of my Master Attendant's fiancé, later her husband. Before she died, I made a promise to her to take care of him. [A small frown twitches at his brow.] And I have. Or I... did. I suppose he had the last word in the end, protecting me like the idiot he is.

[Dohalim matches Red Wine's frown as the other man sits up, shivering slightly at the sudden lack of warmth on top of him. he follows suit as he pushes himself up; had he said something wrong?]

...My apologies if I've said something to offend you.

[it merely was a simple question of curiosity, but then again, as the saying goes, curiosity did kill the cat, after all. and really, who is he to make a comment on the tumultuous complications of love, and other such feelings, when he, himself, had never even felt it? twenty eight, and yet he'd never felt such things. as romantic as he is with his poetry, he's loathe to admit that this is an area he has no experience in.

then again, with how far down his sleeve he wears his heart on, it might be for the best.

he doesn't press the subject of Red Wine's feelings towards the other Food Soul any more, not wanting to make him angry, nor does he reach out for him, truly believing he'd offended him. he reaches up to his own shoulder, arm crossing over his chest, partly to keep himself warm, but also as a comforting gesture to himself; something he'd adapted to doing whenever he felt awkward or uncomfortable]

It's nice to know that such comradery can last as long as yours has.

[The offence is a difficult thing to process because while such questions do in fact offend him he can also entirely understand why they might be asked. A moment passes, then he huffs a breath through his nose and shakes his head, shifting himself close to Dohalim again and softly easing him back down onto the bed.]

Food Souls often end up grouping together in such ways. Our lives can last a very long time. [And mortal lives are so short... so difficult to watch pass by while Food Souls remain the same.

His hand slides over the man's shoulder, down the muscle of his upper arm, and he shakes his head with a small smile.]

You're overthinking again, Do. Your face is cute like that, but I'd much rather not have you feel troubled on my account.

Cute...

[Dohalim has to huff at that, how dare Red Wine bully him so. as his hand trails down from his shoulder to his arm, he lifts his hand to take Red Wine's hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze]

Forgive me. Perhaps I should have... Stuck my foot in my mouth, as the saying goes. But Food Soul or no, it is a nice thought, seeing friendships last longer than a few short years.

Human friendships can span entire lifetimes. [He's seen it. Almost envied it, in a way.

But his expression softens as he uses his free hand to move a curl of hair from Dohalim's face. He squeezes the hand held in his and smiles a little, easily pushing aside the momentary jolt of unpleasantly confusing feelings that came along with his relationship with Steak being thrown into the spotlight.]

But you're thinking about him again, hm?

[He thinks he knows Dohalim this well by now, at least.]

[he lets out a small, undignified sound at being called out in such a way; when will this bullying cease, he idly wonders]

Have I become that predictable?

[it comes out as a mutter, but with a sigh, Dohalim nods. it's frustrating in its own right, thinking about a man he shouldn't be letting his thoughts wander to, and letting whatever intrusive thought wiggle its way through with said thoughts]

It's... Not just him. Sometimes I find myself thinking if mutual relationships, platonic or otherwise, are as fleeting as I've experienced them... Or if I just happen to be so lucky.

[a joke to try to lighten the mood, but the tone behind it isn't hard to miss]

[Red Wine wonders if Dohalim has considered that his friendships don't last because he doesn't think himself deserving of them in the first place, and so pushes away people who try to get close to him. He doesn't say this, however, because he thinks he's bullied the man enough for the morning already.]

I think you're too hard on yourself. [He says instead of... everything he might have said. It's not really the time or place for a psychological breakdown of all the reasons he thinks Dohalim can't keep friends.

Idly, he toys with Dohalim's hair, tucking it behind his ear and playing with a few of the curls.]

But I think we were in the middle of something weren't we, beautiful?

Hm... Perhaps...

[if Red Wine were to ask him about it, he'd be surprised to find out that, contrary to his beliefs, those connections are something he truly wants and desires. it's one of the very few things he feels he can let himself be selfish about, but then again, he's also coming from a place where he lost the so few friends he had growing up in an instant, before being sent to a different world to become a lord. and really, what subject would want to befriend the very person they're serving, when they could very well be persecuted if they did or said the wrong thing (he would never, but they didn't know that)?

what Dohalim truly worries about is whether or not he's too clingy; back home, once he'd join the others in their quest to defeat the lords and put an end to the Crown Contest, it'd been such a short period of time before he started calling them friends, despite bearing the brunt of Rinwell's simmering rage towards Dohalim's kind.

no, it's not the fact that Dohalim thinks he's unworthy to have those sort of connections. it's that he's desperate for them, but doesn't want to show it, in fear that he'll end up driving people away.

however, these are thoughts he pushes to the back of his mind, with no intentions of unpacking them. he won't mention anything to Red Wine about it, lest the man unpack all of that, along with everything else he'd managed to pick apart. instead, as the distant look on his face melts into a warm smile, Dohalim slides his hand up to mirror Red Wine, as his fingers go back to gently twisting and curling the strands in between them]

Remind me where we were.

[Maybe they'll talk about that some day, because Dohalim might find himself surprised at Red Wine's own thoughts on such things as they pertain to himself.

But not now, not when there are so many other far more pleasant things they could be doing. Red Wine is glad to be here and isn't going to take any steps to put an end to what is promising to be a very satisfying morning.]

Happy to.

[He leans in, pressing himself flush against the other man's side and pulling him in for a warm kiss. His fingertips trace the line of Dohalim's jaw, the shell of his ear, the other hand dropping down draw a dark-skinned thigh up against his own. Red Wine shuts his eyes, parts his lips, draws the man's taste into his mouth.

They were around here, he thinks. The brief segue into heavy conversation hadn't done anything to dull his desire for this man.]

[Dohalim can't help but smile into the kiss as he presses himself against Red Wine even more; as his leg is drawn up, he drapes it over the other's. there's a vague thought that wiggles through into his mind; the fact that no matter what, it seems, the both of them always find themselves wrapped around each other in some form or another, no matter how they'd come to be. all Dohalim wanted was Red Wine's company, but really, it's not like he's going to complain if they end up having sex again. such is the nature of whatever it is they have with each other, he supposes.

however, that is definitely a thought for when he's more concentrated on other things, like deepening that kiss. a hand drags itself up and down Red Wine's back, nails gently carving paths along pale skin and along his spine. as much as he does enjoy being utterly wrecked by the man, Dohalim can't help but enjoy even the softer moments like this. he has the same desire in him for Red Wine, a desire that's starting to light up in him like many times before, but he'll stoke it slowly, rather than let it set him ablaze quickly]

[When rough sex isn't what Dohalim asked for, Red Wine can indulge himself in his own preferences when it comes to setting a slow burn of arousal. He can indulge himself in running his fingers over each dip and curve of the man's body, tracing the edges of muscles and soft, sensitive spots. A low hum leaves him at the sensation of fingernails dragging slowly over his skin.]

If we have the time... [He murmurs against the top of Dohalim's jaw, pressing a kiss there and then down against the warm curve of his throat.] I'd like to kiss every inch of you.

[He'd worship the man, if Dohalim would let him.]

What do you think?

[they're familiar touches, touches that have learned how to pick Dohalim apart quickly, or slowly, depending on the mood. he's pretty sure Red Wine's memorised every part of him just from those touches alone, quite like he's done the same. it's subconscious at this point, how his body reacts, how his muscles flex and unflex under those sinuous fingers in anticipation of what the other man has planned. sure, it may not be anything close to rough, most likely (way too early in the morning for complete debauchery), but Dohalim wants it all the same.

his mind idly follows those soft kisses as he lets out a soft sigh, tilting his head back ever so slightly to offer up more room. they had more than enough time; Dohalim had no plans for the entire day, and he's sure he isn't wrong in the assumption that Red Wine has the same amount of free time. however, the request that comes from him...]

Mm... Yes...

[Dohalim doesn't even hesitate as he mutters the words out softly, not quite picking up the implication of what Red Wine really wants to do. but it's not like he'll say no to a charming man like the Food Soul laving attention on him. and he'd be lying if he said he wouldn't like it]

[He can be rough, when the time feels right, but it is so early and Dohalim seems quite satisfied with what he's doing already. Red Wine has no plans for the day either and would have only been out picking up some commissions to kill beasts outside the city or run the occasional errand if he had been doing anything at all. This feels like a far more productive use of his time at the moment.

A few more warm kisses press against the man's neck, along with the softest scratch of sharp teeth as he nips the dark skin. Red Wine has never left a bite mark on Dohalim, knowing very well what damage his teeth could do if he decided to use them, though he doesn't need to use his teeth to make bruises when he wishes to.

Not right now, though. Right now his kisses are gentle, moving down the curve of his throat and shoulder and across one side of his collar bone while his fingertips gently trace a mirroring path on the other side.]

You know what I'd like to do? [He hums softly as those kisses make a path down Dohalim's chest.] I'd like to fuck you in front of that mirror one day, and make you watch.

[A quick glance up, just to see how that idea is received. He doesn't think Dohalim is going to dislike it.]

[there's a familiar warmth that stirs in him with every kiss and nip along his skin; every so ofteh, Dohalim would let out a soft, content sigh as he watches Red Wine with half-lidded eyes. yes, this seems to be much more preferable to any other chore or task he'd wanted to get done today. and, as guilty as he still feels about waking the other man up in the middle of the night and dragging him over, he can't help but feel happy that it did happen.

fingers continue to twist themselves in Red Wine's hair gently, but at his words, they pause for a moment. for Red Wine to make him watch himself get fucked, blurring those lines of exhibitionism and voyeurism... it's interesting, to say the least. it's not like Dohalim is opposed to the idea, but he also isn't sure about the idea of watching himself in such a manner. but, then again, it's also something he hasn't even tried, yet, so who knows... maybe he might enjoy it?]

Hm... I suppose we could try it...

[as hesitant as his voice does sound, there is that hint of curiosity in it, too]

[He knows he could work Dohalim up like this, taking his time, until his breath was hitching and his fingers were digging into the sheets. That's the aim of the morning, he thinks, as he waits for what he suggested to sink in and keeps trailing his kisses lower.]

We can stop if you don't like it. [Red Wine says. It goes without saying, really, because when has he ever tried to make Dohalim do something that he didn't want to do?

His hands smooth slowly up the warm skin of Dohalim's thighs. A kiss is pressed to his hip.]

But I think you might enjoy it.

[the lower Red Wine dips, the harder it is for him to concentrate on the conversation at hand, especially with how very aware of where those kisses are landing, and where those hands are. he almost doesn't even notice himself part his thighs a little in an invitation for more of those touches, as his eyes flutter closed]

Do you think so...? What makes you say that?

[to be fair, whatever they've done together so far hadn't warranted a need to stop in the middle of it because Dohalim didn't like what they were doing. really, everything that Red Wine had done and had suggested, Dohalim went with and very much liked. if anything, the times they were intimate had opened his eyes to more possibilities than he'd previously had knowledge of]

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