come out come out wherever you are

[bitterchill]

Ari patrols most nights. He frequently whistles as he does so. He's on friendly terms with many of the people of the town, though some of them think he's a dangerous weirdo. (They're not wrong, but it's not very polite to say it outright like that.)

Vampires still come to Sunnydale. Because it's Sunnydale, and because vampires are idiots. The ones who live here already, though, have picked up a habit of either visiting the kosher butcher's or the bite shop, or moving to LA. Or having their heads ripped off by an excessively cheerful blonde half-Kal'shekk witch.

Speaking of the kosher butcher's, he pops his head into that alleyway. Maybe he'll see Mr. Ray, that nice vampire chap who comes by for some fresh cow's blood every Thursday. (Ari acts cheerfully oblivious to the fact that every vampire he knows is blind terrified of him. Some of them are alright when he keeps them from eating people; being unrepentantly amoral doesn't have to mean you're not a nice person.)

Comments

[unmarred]

"Yeah."

But first he wants to kiss Ari. That definitely takes precedence.

[bitterchill]

Mark's initiative is somewhat unexpected and very pleasant! Ari is delighted.

Precedence only goes so far, though. He did a thing! He wants to show Mark the thing he did for him! He breaks off and grins and makes a sweeping gesture towards the coffin-stairs.

[unmarred]

Oh, absolutely. Mark cheerfully descends the stairs to see what Ari has made of his miserable little crypt.

[bitterchill]

The basement is evenly constructed of an odd, glossy stone that forms when you order silty loam and a few feet of old marble to compress itself into a layer of uniform material. Originally, it was a sort of muddy brown; now, however, it's raincloud-grey, coincidentally* very close to the color of Mark's eyes. The ceiling has a soft white glow like moonlight, and there are, inexplicably, transparent windows along the walls looking out into the dirt.

*Not coincidentally.

Ari shuffles his feet slightly. "How d'you like it?"

[unmarred]

Mark contemplates the room for a few long, thoughtful seconds, and then turns and kisses Ari again. Emphatically.

[bitterchill]

Well, that's good. Ari's happy about that. Ari's so happy about that. He's really, really glad Mark likes the room, and that Mark's kissing him. He's glad of Mark in general.

[unmarred]

"I like it a lot," he says, when he is done kissing Ari. "In case you couldn't tell. I admit I'm mystified as to why you gave me windows, though. Please tell me it wasn't for the view."

[bitterchill]

"It wasn't for the view," laughs Ari. "I'm going to see if Sally can teach me to make those windows that show you the view from a different window. And then visit somewhere I know with a really nice view."

[unmarred]

"In that case..."

The seventeen-inch height difference makes kissing Ari a little inconvenient. Mark decides that this time he will solve the problem by climbing Ari. There. Now their faces are properly on a level. Kisses!

[bitterchill]

Ari cooperates gallantly with the climbing and the kissing, and less gallantly supports Mark by a convenient grip once he's up there. He checks a few times that the convenient grip remains firm. It's important to be careful about such things.

[unmarred]

Mark giggles.

"You are precious and delightful," he asserts.

[bitterchill]

"I like to think so," Ari grins. Lacking any pretext at all, he just gooses him again. It's satisfying!

[unmarred]

Mark chooses to respond to this indignity with kisses. Mm. What a delicious creature Ari is.

[bitterchill]

He is delicious. In fact, given he used a teeth-cleaning spell this morning and it leaves him with the slight flavor of almond extract, he could be said to be magically delicious.

[unmarred]

"Precious and delightful and extremely attractive," he elaborates, when some more kisses have gone by.

[bitterchill]

"And you're sweet," kiss, "and adorable," kiss, "and so pretty I hardly know what to do with you. You're delightful and loverly and I want to make you as happy as I possibly can."

[unmarred]

"You are atrociously fucking charming." More kisses are clearly required.

[bitterchill]

"Have I charmed you, then? Can I make it up to you somehow?"

[unmarred]

"Put me down," he suggests, grinning.

[bitterchill]

Ari looks puzzled, and puts him down.

Ari figures it out.

Ari looks very, very happy.

[unmarred]

Mark has some interesting new skills to practice!

[bitterchill]

Ari is always happy to help. And give copious feedback.

[unmarred]

Feedback is very important.

Mm.

[bitterchill]

After feedback has been given, Ari may feel the need to get some practice in himself. It's important to keep one's hand in, after all.

[unmarred]

Mark has no objections. He is downright enthusiastic, in fact. Positive feedback will definitely ensue.