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The aftermath of Vlad’s theatre of horrors weighed heavily on the residents. Shakespeare was in a bad way, but he’d recover, however everyone else was still shaken by their pasts literally coming back to haunt them. Arthur and Dazai escaped direct confrontations with their own ghosts, but that meant they went into overdrive looking after the fallout of everyone else’s. Dazai taking the role of clown to try and lift everyone’s spirits, Arthur taking up this medical bag again to ensure the physical injuries were taken care of. The mental injuries would be added to the list of traumas each of them carried and would have to fade with time.
But who cares for the carers? It’s something that had been on Persephone’s mind since the dust had settled and everyone retreated into their rooms. She’d popped her head round every door and sure enough the facade of normality was back up but there was someone who kept appearing in her mind.
Arthur.
Despite the rocky start, she’d come to care for him quite a bit. More than she’d expected certainly and tonight confirmed the dirty flirt had wormed his way well and truly into her affections. When she heard the Gauguin had pulled a gun and Arthur had intervened her heart felt like it stopped even though it would take more than that to fell him. But in the aftermath he’d cheerfully put on his carefree act and had been tending the Will for hours. As she padded down the hall, the light from his room was finally seen spilling out under the door and she knew she needed to do something for him.
The kitchen was surprisingly chaotic, even Sebas was too weary to put everything back in its right place but thankfully the coffee tools were easy to find. It may be late but coffee and fudge always cheered him up and it seemed more important tonight than ever. The ritual of grinding and brewing leading to the smell of smoke and herbs filling her nose, proving to be soothing in its familiarity; but it needed something more. Arthur was terrible at holding his drink but a measure of whiskey in his coffee shouldn’t floor him. Well, perhaps two measures - it had been a long night. She prepared herself some too, with a bit of fudge placed on a tray.
The trip to his room was surprisingly quiet, she’d expected someone to be around but thankfully they weren’t. The silence and the moonlight her only company, even the sound of her steps muffled by the carpet. The light was still creeping from under the doorframe, she let out a sigh of relief at the fact he was still up because she didn’t want to wake him from what little sleep he could manage.
The knock was tentative, and there was a pause before she finally heard him answer. Even through the door she could hear an undercurrent in his voice. He’d not escaped his ghosts after all she mused.
“Come in” the slightly confused voice beckoned, the door handle feeling slightly awkward as her hand trembled while opening it.
Turning to face her, his eyes didn’t hide their shock, perhaps the weariness making schooling his expression less smooth than usual. But, his face settled into his usual smirk, albeit wearier his voice taking on a slightly deeper huskier tone. It felt more sensual than usual, making her skin prickle as he spoke
“Why dove, bit late for you to be about but must say you are a sight for sore eyes” he leaned back into his writing chair, letting his body relax again, with his legs crossed over one another watching her cross into his space. The scent of coffee already perking up his senses. She sets the tray down near the chaise lounge, and he slowly makes his way over to sit next to her.
“Seemed like you could use a pick me up after a day like today” she said placing the coffee mug in one hand and the fudge in the other making his eyes light up with joy
“Coffee and fudge, by jove I’ve been blessed by the goddess of the mansion” he theatrically said, taking a swig, only to register that his coffee has an added treat. The slight shock on his face morphing from smirk to full on grin.
“Thought a slightly Irish boy could use a slightly Irish coffee” Persephone smiled taking sips of her own drink. The comment on his ancestry taking him off guard and earning her a slightly baffled look
“How the devil did you guess-wait the name wasn’t it” he corrected himself and cursed his lack of sleep for making such a painfully obvious comment.
“Well that and your talent for spinning a yarn” another sip of coffee and whiskey warming her up. The near positive comment reminded him of what she said on their first night she arrived and he introduced himself. The comment on his body of work was ‘oh, the detective stories, they’re cute’ bristled him more than he cared to admit despite his adversarial relationship with his most famous creation.
He chucked with a wry edge “I thought you said my stories were ‘cute’”
“Well, yes your detective stories. I always preferred your ghost stories” she said between sips. Arthur nearly spat his coffee across the room, she continued ignoring his reaction
“A particular favourite is the Captain of the Pole Star, I’ve always been curious at what the captain was grasping for to die with such a smile on his face. I read it a lot after my family died and it was a surprisingly comforting story despite its eeriness. Actually when I was trying to make the decision between pursuing ballet as a career or going to uni, it was those ghost stories that spurred on my choice to study English Literature & Art History. Actually wrote my dissertation on some of your work…” Her voice trailed off as her body relaxed into the seat, allowing her legs to stretch and exaggerate their lithe shape, the robe falling just enough to bare her claves. The leanness of her dancer’s body becoming apparent beneath.
Arthur let his gaze travel once he recovered enough from the fact that not only did she actually know of his other work but she had just opened up more than he’s ever heard. The mansion’s newest resident had been a particular mystery to him, ask affable as she was, she was surprisingly cagy about her own life so trying to get more than superficial details from her proved a challenge; her speciality was to deflect and focus on the residents the moments he began to prod more so this candidness somewhat strange and endearing. Adding the coffee in making him feel warm and relaxed. The whiskey giving his mind a haze and the comfort he rarely allowed helped too.
“Persephone luv, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard you talk so much about yourself. Feeling somewhat honoured to get to see a little more beneath the surface” the flirtation in his voice amplified by the husky edge of exhaustion “surely not this little amount of booze has loosened your lips”
“Effy. You can call me Effy. It’s been a long time since anyone used that nickname but you can…if you want. Probably safer than letting you pick” she chuckled thinking of poor Newt, but her eyes were gazing off past him, scanning the titles on his bookshelves.
“Well, suits you better than Percy” Arthur mused “Still someone is rather open tonight. Must say despite coming across like a little lost bunny whose face seems to give away her every thought, you’re more tricky to unwrap that expected”
“Seems like a good night for it” she simply stated looking him in the eye “and if I ask you how you’re truly feeling you’ll just find a way to deflect. Plus, even for immortals apparently time is no guarantee. Guess it’s a round about way to thank you for your writing” her thoughts tuned back to Shakespeare’s bloodied form and trying to get enough rouge in him so he can heal. It was a quiet thanks, but it still reached him. It meant more to him right now than he could really elaborate with words alone.
“Y’know, I was a doctor on a whaling ship like the Pole Star, you’ve can probably guess how that inspired me” he grinned “granted, for all the things I learnt, the smell haunted me for years” he gave a light shudder that made both of them laugh, ending up in a comfortable silence as they continued their drinks. Effy ended up stretching her legs into his lap, enjoying the sensation of him lightly running his fingers over her ankles, it was intimate but neither cared to comment and break the peace between them. He enjoyed the last piece of fudge before asking
“Where did you go to university?”
“Edinburgh, doubt it’s changed much since you attended” the softness of her gaze and her answer brought a grin to his face
“My, what a coincidence” he looked over his nearly drained mug finding something quite sweet in the happenstance “often want to sneak back there and see the old place again, but there may be a few issues regarding my timeline and as much as I like winding up daddy, he occasionally has a point” they looked at each other as he shrugged.
Their eyes stayed trained on each other, seeing who would make the first move. Arthur was weighing up if a move would even be welcome right now. Despite the intimacy of the quiet hours of the night, when the morning comes consequences would come with it and for all his levity, the fear of pushing her away by acting too forward now bubbled amongst the other anxieties that were threatening to burst fourth. A constant reminder of his own cowardice always there to creep up and ruin the most peaceful moments, if it wasn’t for the shifting of the seat and the feeling of Effy straddling him dragging him from the darkness of his own mind he’d consider this all a delusion.
It took him aback but he managed not to show it, the feeling of her body beginning to make his warmer, more sensitive. Her eyes held his, making the words dry up on his tongue, the feeling of her hand gently caressing his face made the blush forming on grow as her touch tickled down his neck, her hands finally starting to slip under the fabric of his shirt. Each touch felt so delicate he dared not move as she worked the remaining buttons open, he was losing his composure and knew he had to stop her before this could go beyond the point of return
“Effy, luv-“ he was silenced by a finger on his lips and it took all his restraint not to try and draw it into his mouth. He wanted to taste her, but he didn’t trust himself.
“Shhhhhh” her lips made a pretty shape he wanted to commit to memory “Arthur just relax. You’ve been busy doing the caring. Now you need someone to care for you” and with that, Effy gently undid the robe and let it fall from her shoulders, revealing that there was nothing underneath. Dark hair cascaded over a long and lean frame, her freckles extending from her face down her body like constellations across her skin, Arthur wanted to trace every one but was almost to scared to touch, in case the apparition in front of him was simply the hallucination of a sleep deprived mind.
As if sensing his trepidation, she took one of his hands and placed it upon her breast. Then slowly drew it down to the curve of her waist, never once looking away from him. She only let go to capture his face between both of her hands and planted a surprisingly chaste kiss on his lips, a light taste to tease him, remind him she was here and wouldn’t vanish without having to say it. He felt like he was falling, so her grounded himself by holding onto her hips; soft but more muscular than he expected but it didn’t do much to help as her lips became bolder, his body reacting and making him dance to her tune. She was unexpectedly forward, leading him for a change. He was enjoying the feeling of her melting into him, feeling skin on skin where his shirt had opened. He wanted more, needed her closer. His arms wrapped tightly around her and he slipped his tongue through her lips.
Her taste was mixed with the whiskey and coffee and it made for an intense flavour. Paired with the sensation of his shirt being fully removed and her hands beginning to work on his belt, the jingle of metal a prelude to the feeling of her hand fondling him. It felt like electricity jolted straight to his groin making his hips buck gently. An opportune time explore her more.
Wet heat awaited him as he slid his fingers down her hip and between her legs. The moan she made as he began to explore her made his head feel light. The sensation of her body massaging his digits and beginning to grip onto him intoxicating. The thought of this on his cock made him swell in her hand.
He used his free hand to pull hers away from his cock because he knew he’d lose the last shred of composure he had, so he pulled her wandering hand to his lips, kissing each finger while gazing at her. He’d fantasised about this, the prospect of having her at last but it was better than he could have imagined, even just having her ride his fingers felt incredible and he didn’t want it to end, so when she pulled away he couldn’t help but let his face drop
“Shhhhh” she murmured lifting her hips “tonight I want to care for you Arthur” she whispered into his ear, her breath grazing over the shell of it.
“Although…” Her face flushed a deeper shade as she said “it’s been a while so forgive me if I'm a bit rusty” she bit her lips causing them to look even more swollen and tempting. The sight absorbed Arthur fully until he felt her lower herself onto him slowly.
They moaned in unison, her body adjusting to the size, the slight stretch making her back arch until her was sheathed to the hilt. Arthur’s mind went blank, his body sensitised and overwhelmed by the feeling of her, being really inside her. He couldn’t hold back a growl of desire while trying to keep enough sense to reassure her
“Luv, you had me fooled” he said with a smirk on his face making the lust in his eyes look more intense. He was curious, as much as he wanted to take control and push her down onto the chaise and ravish her, his patience held and relaxed into the feeling of her beginning to ride him slowly. This moment was even more perfect than anything he’d ever imagined.
Effy was struggling to keep her mind on track, feeling him fill her and enjoying the sensation of him inside, the heat, the heaviness but she began to move with a gentle roll of her hips. She couldn’t help but feel conscious of her movements, especially with a man like Arthur, someone who knew his way around pleasure. The thoughts kept disrupting her slow rhythm but looking down at him her heart skipped.
He was looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world, his eyes blown with lust and head falling back but it was the smile on his face that stunned her. Not a smirk, not a grin but a gentle smile making him look almost boyish, vulnerable. The emotions swelling in her causing her to stop her movements just to kiss him, feel him this close. There was a passion but moreover a fragile intimacy between the pair caused by a rawness that only happens in the liminal time between now and tomorrow. She broke the kiss and began to build her pace, not too fast nor rough but with more force as she sunk down his cock causing Arthur to begin panting her name, his hands settling on her hips with force and beginning to guide her movements more. Each thrust made her shake, the head of his shaft brushing against the sensitive spot in her depths maker her voice sing out his name, the feeling of her wetness pooling all over his balls making the most obscene noises as they moved.
Arthur began to take more control, moving his hips in unison causing his cock to delve even deeper into her, getting faster and rougher. Sweat tricking down his neck, the veins and muscles twitching, his Adams apple moving making his sensual masculinity even more pronounced and driving her even wilder. The pace began to become ragged, unpredictable making his hands on her hips the only thing anchoring them together until she felt him sucking her nipple, light bites and his tongue rolling over them, his fangs scraping against the sensitive flesh.
“Yo-you, ah” she gasped between thrusts “bite me” her voice almost pleading him as he worked her breasts. She could almost feel his cocksure smirk as he spoke into her chest, making his breathless voice muffled and somehow more arousing
“Patience be luv” the vibrations of his murmur adding to the sensations ripping through her.
Arthur began to power into her. Despite being on the bottom she begun to realise he was in control and all she could do was hold on as he pounded into her, her cunt tightening due to the stimulation, the sudden flutters and clenches making Arthurs eyes roll back
“Fuck Effy, you’re gripping me so tight you’re going to drive me over the edge before I’ve even had the pleasure of feeling you come on my cock like a good girl” he practically growled into her ear. A predatory edge taking over his handsome features, she could have sworn his eyes were practically glowing. His hand slipped from her hip and before she could register his fingers were rubbing the pearl between her legs making her already overstimulated mind and body burn hotter.
Arthur was in bliss, having her wetness all over him and sweaty body pressed against him. The first stirrings of her climax and having her cling to him like he was the only thing that mattered in the universe bringing out his more vampirish instincts. The want to possess her, consume every part of her from her pretty swollen lips, pert little nipples rubbing against him to the liquid soaking his balls and most of all, her blood which smelt sweeter and more enticing than ever. All she could do was moan, pant and say his name as he got faster, determined to feel her come for him, come on him, made keeping his fangs out of her a difficult task. So much so he almost gave in. But not yet, he wanted her on the brink before he drank from her. He wanted her at her sweetest and drowning in a pleasure only he could give her; even he was mildly surprised by quite how possessive he was getting. To the point, part of him never wanted to let her out of his room again.
The scraping of her nails across his neck and shoulders drew him back to the moment, a pride swelling in him at the prospect of her leaving scratches all over him as he felt her orgasm build, each flutter, jerk and moan pushing her closer until he felt it. The tension in her body signalling her hitting her limit was the sign he was waiting for and he sunk his fangs into her causing her to scream his name. The pleasure of his bite and the climax of his stimulation making her body tremble as she clung onto him while he fucked her through it his own high not far off.
Effy felt like she’d not only been hit by a wave of pleasure but battered by it and drowned in it, her mind was rendered incoherent between his bite and the rather powerful orgasm he gave her converging, leaving every never in her body raw and sensitised to the point where she was struggling to even remain conscious. Thankfully Arthur wasn’t far behind her as he stopped drinking from her and buried his head into the juncture of her neck and shoulder damn near growling as she felt a warm sensation filling her up, her body clinging to every part of him in a vice like grip. To her surprise, he was shaking too, his body seemed to be humming with pleasure so much so they both stayed still, panting and trying to come back to reality neither daring to move too much and break away from the other. Arthur even refraining from some witty remark just to pant into her skin. He’d used the bite as foreplay more times than he could count, but using it now at the point of climax like this was more explosive than he had imagined; to the point he nearly was overwhelmed with the desire to drink a dangerous amount from her.
Time felt suspended around them, their bodies coalescing while they shared the experience of the slow fall from their joint high, the wait for the sensations to calm and the afterglow to dim. Eventually he pulled out from her reluctantly but the exhaustion of the events of the last few days paired with the sexual and emotional intensity wore away even Arthur’s inhuman stamina. Effy was barely clinging to consciousness and only let out a quite murmur as he lifted her to his bed and laid himself down next to her, their bodies intwining again as they both dropped into a deep sleep. Too deep for even his nightmares to reach.