for isnt_the_same

[chesstotem]

The night Ariadne met Aubrey, things didn't turn out as they were supposed to. It started out just fine - they met in the bar they'd agreed on, chatted inside for a while about nonsense like the weather, then stepped outside to talk business.

It was as though the dark figure had been waiting for them - Aubrey was right in the middle of a sentence when suddenly a tall figure swooped in out of nowhere and descended on her like a rabid dog. Ariadne screamed as the person - thing - whatever it was - ripped her throat out, and the next thing she knew she was running blindly back towards the street, something warm trickling down her temple. The time that followed was fuzzy - she knew she must've ran for a while, because she was out of breath, but then she was in a cab (the cabbie was giving her a funny look, maybe to do with that warm trickle), and then she was at a hotel, getting more funny looks as she stumbled into the elevator.

Then she was pounding on Arthur's door, praying to whatever gods might be listening that he was inside.

Comments

[isnt_the_same]

"And how do you feel about me?"

[chesstotem]

She shrugged. "I want to be with you all the time. I want to know everything about you, and I want you to know everything about me. And I want to kiss you for real."

[isnt_the_same]

He smiled. "And why haven't you kissed me then?"

[chesstotem]

"Because you said you weren't interested," she pointed out, looking surprised.

[isnt_the_same]

"C'mere," he told her.

[chesstotem]

She looked at him warily for a moment, then got up and moved to stand in front of him. "What?"

[isnt_the_same]

"Do you know what I like most about you? What you want something, you take it."

[chesstotem]

"Sure, but I'm not going to take something I want from someone else without their permission. And you thoroughly friend-zoned me, don't even try to deny it."

[isnt_the_same]

"When have I ever friend-zoned you?"

[chesstotem]

"Uh, when you told me you weren't interested in romantic relationships at all?" she suggested. "For an immortal, you have a short memory."

[isnt_the_same]

"I'm not interested in romantic relationships, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in other types of relationships," he pointed.

[chesstotem]

She studied his face carefully. "I don't want a one-night stand, Arthur. I'm not asking you to marry me, but you're important to me. I care about you. I couldn't just have sex with you, like it was nothing."

[isnt_the_same]

"You expect too much."

[chesstotem]

"I've always had high expectations," she said quietly. "I would expect you to be faithful to me, for starters. To give me a little more consideration than other people. To ask me about my day. To call me when you're out of town."

[isnt_the_same]

"You have the entire world before you. Why would you only want to belong to one person?"

[chesstotem]

"I would never belong to you. That implies giving you power over me. It's my choice, and I could always make a different choice, if circumstances change. Is that a vampire thing, or just a 'you being afraid of being a boyfriend' thing?"

[isnt_the_same]

He just laughed.

[chesstotem]

"What're you laughing at?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

[isnt_the_same]

"Just that you used the phrase 'vampire thing' to describe what I feel."

[chesstotem]

"Well, for all I know, vampires have some weird, draconian system of ownership over their partners," she said, exasperated. "That's why I asked if it was a vampire thing, or just you."

[isnt_the_same]

"Fine, it's just me, then."

[chesstotem]

She shoved her hands in her pockets and went to the minibar - she needed a drink, dammit. "Fine. And for the record, I hate the terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'. No matter how committed I was to someone, I'd never use those terms. I'm a grown-ass adult."

[isnt_the_same]

He shrugged. "Alright."

[chesstotem]

She grabbed one of the tiny bottles of whiskey and drank it in one gulp. "I suppose I can go home, now," she said, staring at a piece of art on the wall above the minibar, her back to Arthur.

[isnt_the_same]

"If you want. I'll also help you clean, too, if you want."