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]

"Have you never been in love before?" He asked quietly, confused. "You've never felt like you belong to someone? That was you felt for them ran that deep?" People like him experienced love. It wasn't just a "human thing."

[chesstotem]

She turned around, giving him a confused look. He couldn't know, but Mal's shade had asked her almost exactly the same thing once. She gave Arthur the same answer: "No, I haven't. Is it so bad?"

[isnt_the_same]

"It's not bad, but...to be half of a whole...it's a lot." Mal had said that to him once.

[chesstotem]

"Then don't. Keep being your own person," Ariadne said.

[isnt_the_same]

He sighed. "But you want to be with me. That's not something I can just ignore."

[chesstotem]

She shook her head. "I reject the notion that to be in a healthy relationship with someone, one has to subsume part of their self-identity to the other person. You can be 'in love' with someone and not necessarily have to feel like you 'belong' to them, or that you're somehow not complete if they're not around. I do want to be with you, but I would never ask you to abandon any part of who you are to do so."

[isnt_the_same]

He was quiet for a moment, not really sure what to say to that. "Alright, then."

[chesstotem]

She approached him carefully, reaching up to touch his face. "Dom and Mal didn't necessarily have things right, you know," she said. "Or even you and Mal, whatever you had."

[isnt_the_same]

"You don't think I know that?" He looked up at her accusingly.

[chesstotem]

"If you know that, then why are you so afraid of my expectations?" she asked, leaning in to brush her lips over his.

[isnt_the_same]

"Because I'm just going to disappoint you so why even try?"

[chesstotem]

"Going to cheat on me?" she asked quietly.

[isnt_the_same]

"Are you afraid that I will?"

[chesstotem]

"If you say you'll be faithful, I'll believe you," she said. "Being honest is all I really want, Arthur."

[isnt_the_same]

"I want to be with you," he said honestly.

[chesstotem]

"I want that, too," she said. She pressed her body closer, pressing her mouth to his.

[isnt_the_same]

Tentatively, he rested his hands on the small of her back. She felt so warm and inviting.

[chesstotem]

Her heartbeat was already picking up, her breath coming a little short as she kissed him. She could feel his skin warming, whether due to her touch or because Arthur was doing something on purpose, she wasn't sure. But it was welcoming all the same.

[isnt_the_same]

His lips left hers as they traveled to the side of her neck. He could feel her pulse against them.

[chesstotem]

She tilted her head slightly, giving him more room to do as he liked. She assumed he would say something if he wanted to feed from her. Otherwise, she didn't care what he did. "Bedroom?" she suggested quietly.

[isnt_the_same]

"Can I have a taste first?" He asked quietly against her skin. "I won't take much."

[chesstotem]

"Oh - sure," she said, feeling herself flush a little at his question - it sounded almost reverent.

[isnt_the_same]

His canines extended a little from his upper row of teeth. He grazed them against her skin lightly before letting them sink in to her.

[chesstotem]

She tensed when she felt it, but quickly relaxed again - it didn't hurt any worse than getting a shot at the doctor - a needle prick, then a dull sort of throb. She was wrapped up tight in Arthur's arms, the familiar scent of him in her nostrils. It wasn't bad at all - she could get used to it.

[isnt_the_same]

Like he promised, he didn't take much, and soon he lifted his head up from her neck with a small smile.