To Kill a Puck, confab time

[raith_rogue]

Thomas parked his car in an empty space along the curb just down the street from Harry's place, and headed off to meet his brother as requested. He knew it was about Robin, though nothing more specific than that, and he was just a little bit anxious, in case Harry had bad news. Harry often seemed to have bad news, generally of the giant sharp teeth and claws variety, but Thomas already knew this problem involved that variety of bad news, so at least it wouldn't be much different from now.

He jogged down the steps to Harry's basement apartment, pulling out the pendant Harry had given him to disarm the wards, then knocking once before he opened the door. "Harry?" he called as he turned to shove the door firmly closed behind him.

Comments

[raith_rogue]

Thomas rolled his eyes and leaned past Harry to set his beer down before taking the offered strap and wrapping it around his wrist. "...Is this safe? Me wearing it while you work on it, I mean?"

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"We share blood." Harry moved behind Thomas and reached for his wrist. "This would work for you too, if you needed it. You're fine."

It was the blood bond that Harry needed. "I just, uh...need to do a couple incantations."

[raith_rogue]

"I just meant with you casting on it...I don't want to get any backwash of a spell..." He trailed off and closed his eyes, extending his arm and trying not to think about Harry behind him, close enough he could feel his warmth in the cramped confines of the lab.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"It's not like a bottle of water," Harry remarked, and laid his hand on top of Thomas's arm, his thumb pressed against a symbol carved into the leather. "And they're protection. Are you going to attack me while I'm doing this?"

[raith_rogue]

Thomas opened his eyes to glare over his shoulder at Harry. "I'm thinking about it," he muttered, facing forward again. "Just make sure it goes into the bracelet, not into me. You can't improve on perfection like this even with a protection spell."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Shut up," Harry said fondly. "Or I'll add an anti-White Court vamp clause."

He took a deep breath, then focused his energy on the incantation. "Cave inimicum, colloportus, impervius.

[raith_rogue]

Thomas sighed softly and held still, staying quiet while Harry worked, just--enjoying his nearness while Harry was too distracted to notice.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry finished the one rune, the moved to the next, slowly turning Thomas's wrist. This close he could smell the pheromones that wafted off his brother, the most compelling perfume he'd ever smelled. "P-protego, protego horribilis," he exhaled. "Protego libidinous."

[raith_rogue]

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Thomas said, glancing back at Harry. "What was that last one for?" If it was what it sounded like, he was sure Robin would appreciate the thought, but...how did a spell protect that?

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Um." Harry cleared his throat, his eyes moving between Thomas's gray gaze and down to his lips. "Protection against...sexual desires."

[raith_rogue]

Okay, so not what Thomas thought. His eyes narrowed and he asked with clenched teeth, "And why would you think Robin needed that?"

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry took a step back, eyes flashing. "Robin's not the only one who needs protection," he snapped.

[raith_rogue]

Thomas turned around to face Harry, arm falling to his side. "You're making the bracelet for him, right? So tell me just what kind of a protection you're putting on here."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Sexual predators," Harry admitted. "Anyone who seeks to use their own or his sexual desires for malicious purposes."

[raith_rogue]

Thomas' jaw tightened. "Take it off," he growled, holding out his wrist. "Take that spell off."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry studied him, but made no move to remove the strap. "It could help," he said quietly. "It's designed to prevent malicious intent...to keep the hunger...the demon at bay."

[raith_rogue]

"Right. You realize that's a part of me, right? The demon? He's inside me. You keep it at bay, you keep me at bay." Thomas started tugging at the leather strap to get it off his wrist.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"I thought you hated your demon," Harry shot back. "And what...you don't have sex that isn't an attack? That you don't feed off of?"

[raith_rogue]

"No, I don't," Thomas answered flatly, finally yanking the bracelet free and tossing it on Harry's workbench. "It's not optional for me."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"How do you know?" Harry countered. "Have you ever even tried? Haven't you ever looked at someone and just...wanted to feel their body against yours? Ever want someone to touch you just because it feels good? Or want to lay in bed with them all day, making love not because not because you have to, because you'll die if you don't get it, but just because you can?"

[raith_rogue]

Thomas took a few steps back, settling on the steps as he looked at Harry with a hint of pain in his eyes. "It doesn't work like that for me, Harry. Even if I want to do it, if it's not about food...the demon still feeds." He paused and took a deep breath. "You like to eat, right? Not just for nourishment, but for the pleasure of food itself." Analogies seemed to work well when trying to describe what having the Hunger inside of him was like. At least with Harry.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry watched Thomas back away, and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "Yeah? Okay? And?"

[raith_rogue]

Thomas looked at Harry, his face solemn now. "And the last time you did that, sat down to a nice, juicy steak or a slice of chocolate cake...did your body stop pulling nutrients from it, just because that wasn't why you ate it? Did you even try?" He couldn't help throwing that last back at Harry, because honestly. It's not like he wouldn't like to be able to have sex sometimes that didn't involve his demon.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry picked up the bracelet and shook it. "Don't you see that's what I was trying to do? By blocking the demon...blocking the attack...you should be able to just...." He let out a breath, defeated, shoulders slumping. "...enjoy."

[raith_rogue]

Thomas opened his mouth to try to explain again that it didn't work that way, but then--he stopped. Stood up. Took a deep breath and said, "...Okay. I'll try it. I think it's probably more likely to mean I don't get laid, but..." But if there was a chance that Thomas could find a way to have sex without feeding...he'd take it.