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

[bitterchill]

Unlike Mark, Ari still needs to breathe (once every ten minutes, but still). While doing so, he decides to ask "How do you feel about moving on to slightly more advanced bottomless pits?"

[unmarred]

"Mm... Recklessly adventurous."

[bitterchill]

Some part of Ari feels that the word "recklessly" should not be used in response to a sentence involving the phrase "bottomless pit". The rest of him is too busy feeling to feel the same.

[unmarred]

Ooh. Feelings.

[bitterchill]

Are they good feelings? Because Ari is, in fact, good at feeling. It's a skill he's developed.

[unmarred]

They are, they are good feelings! Ari should be proud.

Mark may venture to do some feeling of his own. He has less practice, but is a quick study and very enthusiastic about the concept.

[bitterchill]

Ari feels good things about that!

Very good things. That quick study thing is handy. Mark is good at so many things.

[unmarred]

He is rapidly gathering more palatable talents than murder!

[bitterchill]

Ari is so glad about that. For so many reasons.

[unmarred]

There are many reasons to be glad about that, it's true. Like pride in Mark's accomplishments! That's a reason.

Also the bottomless pits do not seem to be interfering at all. How delightful.

[bitterchill]

Excellent. Ari's been keeping an eye out for them. In between being very pleased and being so happy and being proud of Mark and all those other things he's been feeling.

[unmarred]

So many good things are being felt here!

[bitterchill]

So many.

[unmarred]

All good things must, however, come to an end.

Then there can be snuggles.

[bitterchill]

There are so many snuggles. Ari attaches himself to Mark and shows no signs of letting go at any point in the future.

"So, was that a good introduction to positive physical contact?"

[unmarred]

"Yes. It was perfect. I'm delighted. You're delightful." He kisses Ari's shoulder, this being the nearest kissable part of Ari. "I couldn't have asked for a better person to cry all over."

[bitterchill]

"And you were a delight to be cried on by, if I might say so."

[unmarred]

He giggles. "Thanks."

[bitterchill]

Ari does boast hybrid vigor, and it's been a pretty slow day, but it's 2am and he's cuddling a tiny adorable man.

He snores with amazing volume. And he drools a bit into Mark's hair. And he probably couldn't be pried off with a crowbar.

[unmarred]

In light of what Ari has done for him, Mark will even put up with the drool.

[bitterchill]

That's good, because short of involving crowbars or putting a stadium airhorn up to his ear, no force on Earth is going to remove this man.

[unmarred]

Mark can think of some other options. (He rather wishes he couldn't.) But he likes Ari, so: snuggles.

[bitterchill]

Zzzzzzzz.

[unmarred]

Snuggle, snuggle. Hey, he doesn't even have to make excuses for not having slept when Ari wakes up: he's a vampire, he sleeps during the day. Which this isn't.

[bitterchill]

How fortunate.

Ari smiles in his sleep, it may be noted. He's as happy when he's dreaming as he is the rest of the time, but with less interference from the varied unpleasantnesses of the world. He dreams himself adventures and battles and fair maidens and/or princes, the last of which is probably fairly obvious at the moment.