The Front Gate

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:53 am

Lovino was close- so close to reaching that wizard and tearing him apart. Never mind the sword; his flames would reach him far before he was in range for that to be of any use. The dragon could feel the heat burning within him as he prepared to scorch his enemy, but just as he was about to open his mouth, his fool of a lover suddenly leapt in front of him, cutting off his path.

Lovino roared, spitting out the spurts of fire that had already been on the verge of igniting within him. Antonio dodged the flame, but the dragon was so angry, he almost wished he had hit him. How could he?! That stupid bastard! Lovino glared at the pirate furiously and dug his claws into the other man’s arms when Antonio leapt at him. The pirate winced in pain, but didn’t let go of Lovino. The dragon and human sides of his brain were at war all at once, confused and conflicted with each other. His dragon side urged him forward, told him to burn and kill all those who got in his way- revenge was the only thing that mattered, anything else was not important. That would have been simple enough. But of course his human side had to complicate things- it always did.

“What the fuck are you doing, bastard?!” he hissed.

As furious as he was with his mate, he couldn’t deny the panic and dread that suddenly tightened within his belly when he realized what a vulnerable position the pirate was in. As a regular mortal, he didn’t stand a chance against the wizard and maybe not even the Dead Thing either. The idiot could be cut down in seconds and wouldn’t even know it until he was lying in a bloody pool on the ground, wondering what hit him. Lovino released his painful grip on Antonio’s arms and instead, held him close, protectively, ready to swing him out of the way should the others attack.

He threw a death glare at Arthur over the pirate’s shoulder and opened his mouth to finish what he had started, when suddenly, his mate’s hands were at his face, stroking its sides in a calming movement only Antonio knew about. Lovino stared into his emerald eyes and found he couldn’t focus on what his dragon side wanted anymore. The pirate’s touch and those softly-spoken words had stolen all of his attention, and later, the dragon would curse himself for how weak it had made him look.

His darker side had to admit, the image of the wizard’s head on a platter was a satisfying one. Maybe Antonio did have some reason within him after all. When his mate kissed him, Lovino lost himself for a moment, trying to reconnect with the part of him that loved this man dearly, even if he was too proud to show it, and at the same time, trying to keep his focus where it was most important- on the danger around him and the threat the wizard posed to himself and his lover. He could feel his weakened state eating away at his strength, and even though he was caught off-guard by his mate’s affections, his body protested the loss of power as his fangs shrunk back to normal and his claws disappeared. What?! No, no, no! FUCK! NO!

Lovino’s rage flared up again when the wizard started mocking him. The bastard’s laughter made his skin prickle with fury. For a moment, he thought he’d have his power back, that he’d be able to attack again, but during this one instance of relative calmness, he was able to take in his surroundings and reweigh his options. The host hardly looked threatening at first, but he sensed something strange about him, something he couldn’t place. The other human was easily overlooked despite his murderous aura, but the last…? He couldn’t tell what kind of being that was either. It was times like this that he cursed his own naivety. Despite being more than two and a half centuries old, he still didn’t know enough about the world to identify these creatures, and that bothered him. Nothing’s more important than revenge, dammit! his dragon side said to him. Forget these bastards! If any of them get in your way, kill them! His body was more human than dragon, now, though, and even Lovino’s inner beast knew that in this state, he didn’t stand a chance against so many, no matter what species they were.

As soon as the danger had passed and the others had walked some distance, he shoved Antonio away violently and spat flames in the direction Arthur had gone. The dragon was trembling with anger and humiliation. He was too angry for words. A pet! He called me a fucking pet! He glared back at the pirate, feeling no remorse for how rough he had been with him. He didn’t belong to anyone, dammit! Not the wizard, not the pirate, not any arrogant, pathetic human! He was a member of a proud race- and he was free. There was no way he’d ever be anyone’s captive ever again.

“Antonio,” he growled, needing to release his frustration somehow, “you stupid, sniveling excuse for a mate! How could you do that to me?! I almost had him, dammit! You think this is a game? Did you want to show everyone how good you were at ‘taming the beast’?! You made me look like a fool! Now the one person in this world I’d give anything to see dismembered is walking free in that fucking house, and I’m still trapped in this pathetic human body without any way to take my revenge!”

Oh, he wanted to hurt him. He wanted to open his mouth and breathe a stream of fire until his lover was scorched black. He almost had on multiple occasions. But even Lovino understood why the pirate acted the way he did, even if he despised it. It was the same silly feeling of attachment the dragon felt for him even when he was as mad as he was now, the feeling that had confused him so much when he had first noticed it and the pirate‘s ability to ignite it within him.

“I hate you,” he grunted, as he turned away from the entrance and started making his way back to the woods. “I hate you for making me weak and stopping me when you have no idea of the hell that man put me through…” He stopped to throw a glare back at his mate. “Did you want him to take me back? Because that’s what he would have fucking done after he was finished slicing through you, you stupid bastard!”

His voice was strained, trying to hide his worry under a shield of anger. As much as he wanted his revenge, he was torn by the situation. He wouldn’t stand a chance against the wizard unless he was able to transform again, if not fully, then partly like he just had, and with the bastard expecting it, it wasn’t likely he’d have the time. Antonio was also more of a liability than anything. The pirate had already proven how careless he could be, and Lovino knew he wouldn’t be able to protect him and fight his enemy simultaneously. Was it worth the risk? Should he take the invitation and wait for the right opportunity to take his revenge? What if the odds never fell in his favor? There was nothing he could do- the dragon just stood there, frustrated. With one last look at that accursed house, he closed his eyes and released a stream of fire into the air, a weak blast, but a relieving one, a display of what remained of his power lighting up the darkness of the night.

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Sat Dec 11, 2010 1:50 am

Antonio ignored every struggle Lovino made on his arms, instead fighting to keep the dragon in place there, trying to reach out to the human side of his brain, to make him feel his warmth. The comments the wizard made didn’t pass unnoticed though even if his mind was too busy concentrating somewhere else and he flinched several times, the words cutting at his being like sharp knives. There was nothing he could do though, if he wanted to even enter this party he had to calm down and most importantly he had to calm Lovino down.

The others were retreating, following the host inside the mansion and he didn’t miss the looks of hate and disgust some of the guests and the host himself sent their way. He didn’t care; he never did, even though part of his mind knew, knew that he was madly in love with a side of Lovino that didn’t truly existed.

He was forced to let go of the dragon rather violently and the look of anger he gave him was enough of a warning to no attempt to hold him like that again. He didn’t understand what had he done to make Lovino so angry, he was only trying to help them get through the night, if Lovino had attacked Arthur, this would be over for them. But… was it truly worth risking the life of his lover for a stupid party? Hell he didn’t even know if he was going to find anything of value he could steal, or if the party would prove of any use in the future to him. All he knew for certain was that Arthur Kirkland was here, that he was dangerous and that he wouldn’t be able to defeat him if he tried to take attack them, as powerful as he was among common humans, against magic he didn’t stand a chance.

Antonio could see the look painted all over Lovino’s eyes, he knew that look. He had seen it a million times on the mirror, before battle, after battle, when he won and when he was defeated. It was the look of someone with a pride to protect, the look of someone who will angrily fight for his freedom even if the price was his or her own life, he had seen it countless of times on every creature and human he had fought but never so clearly on Lovino’s face. His hands formed into fists as he realized what he had done.

Every word the dragon shouted to him afterwards hit him directly in the heart. He stood there silent, eyes closed together tightly, head bowed down. Accepting every bit of Lovino’s anger, letting him get everything out. It was stupid, he had never felt like this before. He had never felt the instinct to protect someone so much, to make them sime, to make them happy. And it was eating him from the inside, he had killed, stolen, used and even betrayed; he was ruthless and thirsty for blood. And yet all that Lovino received from him was a smile, a kiss, a touch. He had fought hard to keep his darkest side from showing when the dragon was around and it was making him feel weak, tired; the dragon didn’t even wanted him that much, Antonio was sure that if he had the opportunity the dragon would choose to go back to his original form, go back to being free. And he understood, if he were in that position he would too ache for freedom.

He felt the familiar sting of tears at the corner of his eyes but he suppressed them with everything he possessed inside. If Lovino decided to leave him, to become a dragon again, Antonio would not stop him, would not hold a grudge. He’ll step aside and let his lover fly, after all what was love if not the need to make your loved one happy?

His body didn’t even flinch at the “I hate you” Lovino shouted, he had heard it often enough, even if it was never in such a convincing tone. His feet didn’t move either when the dragon started walking back to the woods, away from the gate; his mind was not even thinking about that stupid party now. But then Lovino spoke again and this time the words were too much, a single tear escaped his right eye falling down his skin to the ground leaving a wet spot in the earth below him. Lovino was right, he was stupid, an idiot, and he didn’t deserve him. When the powerful flame illuminated the starry sky he felt shivers running down his spine. And then he knew… Such a magnificent, beautiful and prideful creature didn’t deserve to have such a weak man like himself by his side. Lovino deserved much more…

And he would have it.

A new idea struck him and he ignored the little voice on the back of his mind that told him most of his ideas didn’t end well. He would give Lovi what he wanted, he would give him back his freedom, his strength, he will make the dragon happy even if it was the last thing he did on this Earth.

It wouldn’t be easy and he’d be putting himself in danger, but Lovino was more important. He needed to find an antidote to the curse. He knew of witches powerful enough to make it, but to find them and negotiate with them will be a pain; he didn’t have the time or energy for that. No, he had to get it soon, as soon as possible. He knew Kirkland will probably have it; he was sure Kirkland had it! But that went back to the very root of the problem, that he was weak and not strong enough to take on the wizard, and he had to protect Lovi too, the dragon was his greatest weakness after all.

But Arthur had a weakness now didn’t he? Antonio knew how to recognize love, how to recognize passion and he saw it. He recognized it on the magician’s eyes everytime he saw that white haired man… the vampire. Antonio smiled darkly, yes, he may not be strong enough to take on the wizard, but he could capture a vampire. And if necessary, he could kill a vampire. And what would Arthur Kirkland give on exchange for his life?

He glanced back at Lovi who was still standing on the edge of the woods and walked slowly towards him. He put a hand on the dragon’s shoulder and squeezed trying to send reassuring feelings to his lover.

“Perdoname Lovino” His voice was merely a whisper, but he knew Lovino heard him by the way his muscles tensed under his hand “I’m sorry, I just I can’t think sometimes. I thought…” he sighted resting his chin on the top of Lovino’s head lightly “I thought you’ll be very mad when you regained your senses and saw the host kicked us out of the party already and I didn’t know Kirkland was going to be here. I wouldn’t have told you to come if I knew. I’m sorry I know how sensitive is the topic for you” He finally felt confident enough to circle his lover’s waist with both of his arms and push him towards his body “We don’t have to go In if you don’t want to anymore. But don’t worry whatever you decide everything will be better, I promise” He closed his eyes and pushed the dragon closer waiting for his answer.

Yes Lovi… everything will be better.

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:05 am

Releasing his frustration in the form of the flame had calmed Lovino down a little bit. He closed his mouth and sighed quietly. The action may have provided some relief, a connection with the self he was more comfortable and secure with, but now he was back to facing the reality that was his current situation. Arthur Kirkland was here. Likely the only person who possessed the power to restore him to his true form, though Lovino doubted there was much he could to do ever convince him to lift the curse. Not that he would ever allow himself to sink to anything lower than demanding it. Lovino didn’t ask, he didn’t plead, and he certainly didn’t beg. The dragon didn’t expect the wizard to give into his threats, however. And to be honest, he was fooling himself into believing the complications ended there.

The hand on his shoulder reminded me what those complications were. He had heard the pirate coming, so he didn’t flinch – just stared wordlessly into the woods before him He did tense up when he heard that voice, so warm and deep behind him. His sensitive hearing picked up every word, and he let out a soft grunt in response. He felt the other man’s chin on top of his head and scowled. This man was the reason he had no real desire to return to the way he had been, even though part of him still humored the thought.

How did he do this to him? How did his mate make him feel as weak on the inside as he did on the outside? Courtships between his kind were not like this; not that he would truly know –he had never taken a mate in that form- but he knew that the bonds between members of his own race were less dependent than the humans’ seemed to be. If his or her mate died, a dragon would simply find another, but as a human, Lovino had grown so attached to this man, to Antonio, that it was hard to imagine anyone else ever taking his place. It would be impossible. The pirate angered him so much at times; this wasn’t the first time Lovino had felt like he’d never forgive him- and yet, somehow, he always did and probably would again, even now. The man was an idiot, but he was his idiot. No one would be taking him away.

What about revenge? his dragon side asked him. Have you forgotten who you are, where you came from? What that wizard did was unforgivable. You can’t let him walk free just because your mate has a death wish! You have to kill him. Kill the one who hurt you. Kill the one who took your freedom away!

And Lovino remembered that time, not so long ago, when he would stand at the bow of Antonio’s ship and stare at the inviting blue sky and large expanse of ocean stretching far in every direction. What he wouldn’t have given to rise up off that deck and soar through the air, dipping above and below the scattered clouds- to regain that long lost freedom of flight just for a moment, no matter how short. Where had that dream gone? Lately the dragon felt like he had forgotten all about it, but he knew that even now, he still longed to fly.

“I never wanted to come here, dammit,” he murmured after looking up at the stars above them for a long time, all the while feeling the warmth of Antonio pressing against his back and those arms holding him close. “It was a stupid idea. All your ideas are stupid, idiot.”

His voice wavered as he remembered the pirate throwing himself in between the wizard and his partly transformed self, a self that had barely refrained from harming his lover before his human side had resurfaced. He ran his fingertips lightly over the sleeves of Antonio’s clothes, feeling the holes his claws had left there. He had hurt his mate badly in the past in his other form. What if he ended up killing him? Arthur ignited anger and hurt within him like no other being could. Lovino doubted he could be stopped a second time if he was faced with him again. He leaned against the pirate and sighed. Even though it was hard to ignore the nagging roar for retribution, he knew it wouldn’t be worth the price he might have to pay for it. I have to get Antonio out of here, he thought. If he could succeed in getting the pirate back to the ship, maybe he could find a way to sneak back here on his own. Then, he would have his revenge and his mate would stay safe, well out of harm’s way.

He turned his head, but couldn’t see his lover. He sensed some deep emotion from the other man that bothered him. He wondered if the pirate had been leaking…or what was it called? “Crying?” Lovino had done it himself a couple of times, especially during his captivity, and he hated it. It was exhausting, it gave him a headache…and when his mate did it, which was rarely, the dragon felt a sharp pain in his own chest. Lovino turned around to frown at that pathetic-looking expression hidden behind a reassuring smile. Fool. Did he think he couldn’t tell? He growled as another strange feeling, guilt, took over him. He didn’t regret his words -the bastard had deserved it after that inane move– but he didn’t want to deal with a sulky mate or hear the hurt in his voice. Lovino knew the pirate hadn’t meant to upset him and that he had really wanted to attend this party, but the dragon wouldn’t allow it- not when the risk was so high.

He narrowed his eyes and reached up to clench Antonio’s shoulder. He leaned back a bit, pulling away a far enough distance to that he could look at him directly, his golden gaze challenging the pirate to keep his word.

“I’m not going in there, dammit,” he told him. “That bastard’s not worth it. I’ll always hate him for what he did, but if I can’t tear him apart without someone trying to stop me, I don’t even want to stand in the same fucking room as him. You understand?”

Guest

Concealed behind one of the white columns that adorned the main entrance of the house, she listened quietly to the intense conversation going on in front of her. She had finally managed to conceal her magic completely by sparing a single drop of her blood that not even the vampire would be able to smell unless he was right in front of her; she had drawn a small crimson circle with a tiny symbol carefully scribbled inside it. As long as this symbol remained untouched her magic would too go unnoticed, only the magician may be able to detect it and it would only be a faint whisper of it.

With alert eyes she watched as more creatures continued to arrive, she saw the powerful steps concealed by magic that only a dragon could produce, she could see behind the spell that he was trapped in, his true self, a powerful creature with eyes like melting gold, by his side what she categorized as a simple human with an air of darkness and… a great amount of silliness around him. She also saw the silky blurry strings invisibly adorning the body of the Asian man that had just stepped in, their meaning completely escaping her, for she wasn’t a creature born to interpret them. The pale skin of the divine creature that arrived last didn’t go unnoticed either, angel? Demon? Something else? She couldn’t really tell but her magical instincts told her right away that he could be trusted… she just hoped she wasn’t wrong.

She thought they would fight, as the argument between human and wizard heated up. She thought that most of them wouldn’t make it to even being inside this terrible building but at the end their mysterious host had appeared. He wasn’t human, but the fairy couldn’t tell exactly what he was. His magic was hidden beneath layer after layer after layer of even more magic. He wasn’t a creature or magician or exactly anything she had ever seen. He was just pure evil hidden underneath human flesh.

When the fight was over, she stayed there, unmoving, watching the others pass by her, the magician being the last one. She noticed the two faint figures that stayed behind and couldn’t help but felt a sting of sadness through her being.

Katyusha let out a single tear at the sight of the human and the noble dragon, she couldn’t feel sentimental for such things, she had seen fate work, and it was a cruel force not to be played with, it forced love such as this one to remain futureless, creating star-crossed lovers that ended up falling in an eternal cycle of sadness and despair. But the dragon’s race had always had good relationships with her kind; they were strong, powerful and beneath a heart of steel possessed a kindness that many should try to imitate; for this reason alone, the fairy allowed herself a silent prayer for the future of the lovers, a magic-less blessing for good luck and fortune.

She hid her magical seal underneath the knots and turns of the bindweed that grew up the white columns of the house and left her black robe neatly folded under it as well, not feeling the need for it once she was inside the house.

With a last look behind her and a last pained cry at the tears on the pirate’s eyes she pushed the silver doorknob and the door creaked open. Allowing her to finally step inside.

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:34 am

Being a pirate wasn’t easy.

You had to have so much. The courage to stand away from the “normal” rules that society tried to impose on you. Betray your monarch, your family and your friends. You needed the charisma to impose your own rules on the group of people that decided to follow you. The greed. That thirst that instinctively told you if gold, silver or gems were somewhere nearby. The dignity to accept when it was time to step away from your duty as captain and give it to someone else. The ruthlessness to take a man’s life without second though, to use your sword and pierce through his skin until their beating heart stopped and their eyes closed in front of you. You had to leave your friends if the situation called for it. Kill fellow pirates, steal from them, and lie to them.

Some may say this life had not rules.

And yet there was an unspoken code among pirates.

Rules that everyone knew and accepted, and that meant death or worst, dishonor and shmae to anyone who dared go against them: A part of the treasure is to be given to any man on the crew, regardless of position, to keep anything you had not earned was considered a disgrace. Acts of treason against your own crew are considered undignified unless a fair and valid reason can be given and proven. You do not kill a disarmed enemy. You shall never steal the object of passion of any of your crewmates. And most importantly you shall NEVER kill the object of passion of any man, enemy or not, to do so is an act of cowardice and dishonor, and if you do so it was better to kill the couple as one, for no living being can’t stand being away from what his heart truly desires.

Antonio was ready to forget all that tonight.

After their “small” fight at the front gate of the mysterious mansion, they had decided to give up stealing for the night, it wasn’t worth it. Not with Arthur Kirkland and his bloodsucker there. They went back to the ship, where Lovino immediately demanded tomatoes from him while he went lie on their bed for a while.

His hands were holding the end of the burr mill attached to a wall of the ship’s kitchen, crushing some of his precious supply of small coffee beans. His favorite kind was middle Eastern and he saved them for very special occasions, after having won a battle or before a very dangerous adventure. It would be a while before they stopped near Turkey again so he could trade for more but… this may be his last night alive and he wasn’t about to let such perfect coffee go to waste. He also set to prepare some tea for Lovino, who hadn’t like the taste of coffee the first time, almost burning his curtains at the strange reaction his flames had had with the drink.

The time alone in the kitchen made his mind wander. If he was going to carry along with his plan of turning his lover back to his original form he had to act now and fast. After tonight, who knew where would the magician run to. This may be his only chance.

And Lovino could not find out.

When the nice brown mix that the coffee beans had become was ready, Antonio walked the twenty steps separating him from the storage room and slowly, careful of not making any noise he opened the wooden door. Aside from food and clean water and rum, his crew mates and himself kept here what they had collected over the years and that would be better off used by everyone instead of being kept as personal treasures. Books of various subjects, divination props for those pirates that claimed to have the “sight”, although most of it was pure garbage. And a stack of potions and remedies for weird diseases and sea sickness. That last part of the room is where he directed his attention to.

Purple, blue and green bottles stood out among those countless ones with reddish and brownish liquids on them. Thank God most of them had a label or Antonio would have spent all night smelling them and trying to identify what each one of them was.

He finally came across a bottle with a brownish liquid inside. The label reading “laudanum” was muddy and torn but the lid was still sealed which meant the content was brand new. He fisted the bottle and turned the flame of the candle he had taken with him off. His mind starting to count the amount of drops needed to put his dragon to sleep for an hour or so, just enough to give him time. He had to consider the size of Lovino’s human body and the number of drops that were normally used by a doctor to numb the patient.

Back in the kitchen he studied the bottle carefully and finally decided on 15 drops, half of what was normally used, it may only work for a moment but Antonio wasn’t going to risk a case of poisoning. He poured the first three drops a little fearful and watched as the clear liquid that was previously lavender tea slowly darkened.

Drop drop drop.

When the fifteenth drop touched the cup the air was already filled with the bitter smell of opium. Three more spoons of sugar did the trick making the smell at least bearable when close to the cup, and he only hoped that because of his condition as a dragon that Lovino knew nothing about human drugs and their smells and flavors.

The last thing he did before heading to the bedroom was grab a single tomato from his special reserve. The ones he got directly from his country of origin and on his opinion, the best. He put it in the pocket of his jacket and with his coffee cup and Lovino’s tea in hand he exited his kitchen for what it could be the last time.

Lovino was splayed over the bed sheets looking at the ceiling, not a single tomato of the more than fifteen he had given him reminded. He handed the tea cup over careful to keep any nervous shaking in control and took a sip of his own drink.

“Sorry if it’s too bitter Lovi, there is almost no sugar left I had to leave some for the rest of the crew” Lying wasn’t a strong point of his, he almost never did it but when he tried he was terrible at it. His hands kept on sweating and shaking and he couldn’t stop staring at a particular point in the room or other crazy stuff like that. Right now his eyes were fixed on a single point of the dragon’s forehead as he forced the words to come out of his throat.

It was a great relief followed by a sense of dread and self-hate when his lover took the first sip. He forced himself to relax and laid down next to Lovino in the bed.

His head rested back on his pillow and his eyes watched intently as Lovino’s sweet little mouth drank the last remains of what had become his ticket out of the ship for the night. When he was sure there was no more he then directed his hands to his coat pocket and dug out the fresh red tomato offering it to Lovino, the flavour and juices of the fruit expected to erase any last remains of the poison he had given to his lover from his mouth.

He leaned in for a kiss when the tomato disappeared, seeking the dragon’s mouth eagerly and not holding anything back, drinking on the taste of tomato and smiling and not finding trace of the bitterness that would put Lovino to sleep. This could be the last time he had Lovino like this and he needed to make the most out of it. His tongue licked the bottom of his lover’s lip and deepened the kiss, hands curling behind his neck and bringing him closer to his own body.

“Te amo Lovi. Te amo mucho”

A single tear slid down each of his eyes as he pressed himself on Lovino’s shoulder. The body below him felt heavier by the second and when he finally realized this he loosened his hold and looked at the pair of golden eyes as the slowly closed.

“Perdoname”

It was time to work.

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:23 am

Once Lovino had managed to get a confirmation from his mate, he immediately set off in the direction they had come from and led the way back to the ship. Antonio following behind. The dragon’s steps were hurried; he couldn’t wait to get as far from this terrible place as possible. He wished so badly that he had never had to see that wizard bastard’s face again.

Lovino paid no attention to the brush and twigs that scraped and pulled at his clothing as he forced his way through the woods. He was trying to push everything out of his mind and just focus on simple things- the ship, a warm nest, tomatoes- that was all he really wanted right now.

Antonio gave in to his demands as soon as they returned, and Lovino settled himself on the soft blankets of their nest as the pirate left him with a pile of sweet tomatoes. Lovino grunted in acknowledgement and began devouring them without hesitation. He needed a distraction, dammit, but the thoughts building within his head wouldn’t give him anything close to peace. He watched Antonio disappear out of the room and bit down on a tomato angrily. This was his fault, This was all his fucking fault. Lovino had the habit of blaming everything on the pirate whether his reasons were justified or not. Antonio was just an easy target, and even though he knew he made his mate angry sometimes, Lovino was also confident that that the pirate would always forgive him…whether the dragon deserved it or not.

He made me go, he thought bitterly. He put me in these stupid uncomfortable skins and dragged me with him. The dragon writhed on the bed, irritated by the itchy fabric that covered most of his body. Stupid humans and their ridiculous habits. What was the point of these showy skins? They didn’t keep him warmer than any of the others he wore, they didn’t allow nearly enough movement, and the fabric was so damn uncomfortable that to the dragon, it really just didn’t make any fucking sense. They must have impressed other humans somehow, but Lovino had no such taste when it came to those kinds of things. The only other purpose he could think of for such silly garments was that they could be used to attract a mate, but he already had one, so why would he care about that?

Listen to me, mulling over these damned human things, Lovino though with a scoff. I’ll never understand them, dammit. He sank his teeth into the soft juicy flesh of another fruit and smirked in spite of himself. He had made a fool of himself several times in this awkward body, but he rarely was aware of his mistakes enough to feel embarrassed about them.

He remembered the times not long after he had come on the ship for the first time- frightened, untrusting, and reluctant to accept that he would likely spend the rest of his life living in this form, however long that might be. He had taken months to get used to Antonio, to not want to scorch him or claw his eyes out when the other man got too close to him. It had taken even longer to get used to his rules. Antonio had had to teach him so many things about what it meant to be human, things he would have never been aware of or bothered to learn on his own. He stifled a laugh at the memory of Antonio trying to teach him basic table manners, of his amused yet firm explanation about why extra skins (“clothes” now that Lovino remembered the word), were not optional in front of the crew or strangers, his lessons in various customs, habits, and of course, all the functions of a human body.

Lovino felt him face grow hot at the thought of the last one. He wasn’t sure when he had first realized that he was attracted to the pirate. All of Antonio’s affections had confused him so badly at first. Lovino hadn’t been able to tell which gestures were normal between all humans and which held special meanings. He hadn’t thought any different between a pat on the shoulder and a squeeze of the hand. When Antonio had first pressed his lips against Lovino’s, the dragon had given him a strange look and asked why he’d done it. Lovino didn’t always ask questions. He had always been critical, but the more time he spent as a human, the more he began to accept about it. Humans would always be strange to him; he knew that. Lovino had come a long way from hating them all, but there was a part of him that had been permanently damaged. He couldn’t undo the past, and he hated the grudge that kept him from moving forward.

Lovino sighed. Could he be happy as long as he knew that damned wizard was still alive? Walking free and unpunished after everything he had put him through? With a growl, he finished off the last tomato. His belly was almost full, but part of him was still left unsatisfied.

Antonio returned shortly after. Lovino was still deep in thought, unfocused eyes staring blankly up at the worn wood of the ceiling. He didn’t look at Antonio right away, but he did curl his lip at the stench of the liquids he carried. What strange concoction was he going to give him this time? At least it didn’t smell anything like that foul coffee he could detect in the pirate’s other hand. Lovino frowned at the other man and sat up, reluctantly taking the cup of the liquid the pirate offered him and wrinkling his nose at the contents. He held it away from his face for a moment and looked up at Antonio as the Spaniard spoke to him. There was something odd about the way that the pirate was acting that put him on edge. Was he still upset about earlier? Lovino knew that humans acted strange when something was bothering them or they were nervous. The dragon scoffed. It wasn’t like that had been their first fight. The bastard should be over it by now, Lovino thought sulkily as he sipped from his cup. Disgusting.

“Do humans actually like crap like this?” Lovino muttered as he placed the cup down in his lap and covered the top with one hand to give him a moment’s relief from the smell. He inhaled a fresh breath, soured only by the scent of Antonio’s coffee, and then, his nose picked up something new. Lovino suddenly perked up with interest. A tomato. And not just any tomato like the ones he had just polished off moments before- this one was sweeter, juicer, and from what Lovino remembered, more delicious than any other kind he had ever tasted before. The bastard’s probably keeping it for himself, he thought bitterly. Well, maybe if he downed this atrocious liquid, he cold demand it in order to cleanse his mouth of the repulsive taste. The dragon made a face and lifted the cup to his lips once again. He didn’t know what would possess a human to drink something this foul, but it was just one more mystery to add to a list of many. The dragon could never forget that at one time, he had even looked at tomatoes with the same skeptical glance that he still gave most of the food Antonio introduced to him. He had still been extremely wary of the pirate at that time; just because the man had rescued him hadn’t meant that he couldn’t have had his own intentions for him. Lovino had never touched anything except meat as a dragon, so of course the tomato received the same treatment as the rest. Lovino had refused to eat it at first, despite Antonio’s attempt at persuading him how wonderful it was. It had only been after the pirate had given up and left the dragon alone with the tomato that Lovino had finally chanced a taste. And, well, after that incident, no tomato on board had ever been safe again.

The drink was almost gone now. It was a challenge getting the disgusting liquid down, but the thought of that tomato in his mouth was good motivation. Lovino didn’t give the beverage’s ingredients a second thought. After all, there was one lesson he had learned after all the time he had spent on this ship- that even though his mate was dense at times, even though his actions were strange and he had bizarre tastes, even though some of the tings he ate were disgusting and he didn’t have the best judgment or understand much about how Lovino felt…the dragon could always trust him. He had never led Lovino astray, and despite the dragon’s lack of understanding when it came to human relationships, he knew Antonio would never hurt him.

Lovino finished swallowing the last of the cup’s contents and looked at Antonio expectantly. The man was lying next to him on the nest. Lovino could still sense some tension coming from him, but before he could open his mouth to say anything, his mate had already pulled out the tomato and was offering it to him. Of course…even the pirate was smart enough to know he couldn’t hide such things from him. Lovino took the fruit, which he considered a peace offering and sunk his teeth into it greedily, licking the corner of his mouth when the juice dribbled out from between his lips. Damn, it was good. Good enough to forget everything he’d fucking seen tonight at least while that intense flavor enveloped his mouth. Lovino closed his eyes, a sound of content rumbling briefly though his throat. He opened them again and looked back at Antonio. The man didn’t seem any more relaxed, and it caused the dragon to sigh, warm air escaping though a slight snort.

“I’m not mad at you anymore, idiot, so quit your fucking sulking.”

He wasn’t sure if he had been loud enough for the pirate to hear, but the next moment, Antonio was sitting up and claiming his lips, as if trying to get back some of the tomato’s remaining flavor. Lovino’s eyes widened a bit in surprise, but he allowed it, opening his mouth and returning the kiss aggressively, but unable to dominate it. For some reason, he had suddenly become very tired…

Antonio held him tightly, exploring his mouth and twining his tongue with his. Lovino leaned into his supporting hold and let himself relax, feeling the warmth of his mate’s body against his own. In response to the pirate’s endearments, Lovino could only manage a grunt followed by a small, sleepy lick to the man’s cheek.

His mind was growing hazy now, but Lovino’s sense of comfort was suddenly replaced by confusion. Why did Antonio’s voice sound like that? The dragon was sensing great sadness from him; it should have been even more unsettling than it was, but Lovino was too exhausted to attempt to make sense of it. His body had grown so heavy now that he was having trouble holding himself up, and as Antonio’s hair brushed against the side of his face, Lovino gave in and let himself be lowered gently into the nest. His eyes were half-lidded as he met his mate’s green orbs one more time. The pirate’s eyes had been leaking again. The dragon felt that pain in his chest again.Why? As Lovino’s golden gaze switched to Antonio’s moving lips, though, his mind only had time for one more question before he finally gave in to sleep.

Bastard…why are you apologizing?

Posts : 24 Join date : 2010-11-15

(Somewhere around the area of the house)

It was truly a beautiful night out. Not hot not cold not windy and not to still. It was a wonderful mix of elements and balances. Truthfully a beautiful night to be out and about, and certainly a beautiful night to be away from large groups, so that their sinful taint wouldn't tempt her so. Maria had wandered and strolled about the area for quite a while now with absolutely no goal in mind. There was that party she had been invited to, but it was so nice outside that she had no desire to go. Really, her going to a silly little party? And instructed not to injure? The thought was almost insulting. Maria thrived on the insecurities of man, the break ability of their spirit, will and sense of self. A writer had once called it the greatest game, and Maria couldn't argue that point. This party had held her interest for a time, but now it was long gone into the tranquility, the peace and flow of this beautiful evening.

So Maria walked, placing one foot daintily in front of the other as she swayed her hips and hummed the evenings sweet melodies.

She was on the chorus when something caught her attention. It felt of magic and filth and corruption; some sort of distortion that beckoned her in a husky, needy voice. Instead of finishing her hymn, Maria stepped forward into the muddy waters of mystery and excitement. Something was there, not made for her, but it could be hers.

Maria didn't shift her movements, she still continued to move as if music drove her forward, but the night was soft and still around her. This was a hymn of a different sort, and one that wrapped its fingertips around her neck softly before tightening and dragging her forward in ways that she only fantasized about. Oh, the violence that this distortion planted in her brain was so viscerally delicious that Maria simply could not resist its pull.

She had been led to temptation before, and she had often done the leading. It was a sport of which she was quite the veteran.

Her hips swayed and her neck shifted, as if she was being washed by something, sultry and seductive.

The house stretched before her, and Maria smiles. Perhaps, this party would be worth losing this beautiful night...

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:31 am

Antonio stared down at Lovino’s now sleeping form one more time, lowering himself and pressing a soft kiss to the dragon’s forehead and then another one to his lips. When he finally pulled away, new pearly tears were running down his cheeks, he cleaned them as best he could with the back of his sleeve, but couldn’t avoid the two or three that escaped him and fell on the dragon’s cheeks.

Te amo… Standing up from the bed slowly and looking around he slowly changed his sad face to one of absolute resolve, if he wanted this to work out, he needed to act now.

He changed his clothes first, leaving the shiny luxurious red cape that he loved so much behind, and replacing it with a simple white flannel shirt and torn black pants. He armed himself too, two pistols at each side of his waist and one hidden inside his black boot. A silver knife tied to his arm, sharp and carefully concealed. His sword, the extension of his arm and the weapon he was more comfortable with, tied up around his waist. Lastly he took a wooden rosary from his bedside table; Antonio knew that God had most likely abandoned him a long time ago due to his lifestyle but he had heard stories about vampires and he was not about to take any chances.

As he exited the room probably for the last time, he looked back at Lovino’s sleeping face again and tears ran down his cheeks once more.

‘Te amo’ He wished with all his heart the dragon had heard but if the drug has the desire effect it wasn’t likely. Antonio wasn’t so lucky. ‘Perdoname, es la unica manera’ His native tongue sounded more painful, yes, but it was also closer to what he was currently feeling, it came from his heart.

He stepped outside the room and closed the door behind him, letting the dark of the night fall over him and soothed him, this was it, if he was going to do this, it was time. He suddenly wished for more noise, the silence of the night left him thing too much of what he was doing… what he had done. For a second he even considered staying, falling asleep next to Lovino and apologize endlessly about what he had done to him. But how? How could he ever go on normally, knowing the creature he loved so deeply wasn’t happy?

He walked a few steps of the deck of his ship, looking over the sleeping faces of his crew and climbed on a beer barrel right in the middle. Standing there, tall and commanding, he reminded to himself that he was the captain of this ship and that he wasn’t afraid to die. He whistled lowly, a call that he had gone a long time without using since Lovino arrived.

Pablo his red parrot was the first one to wake up, it flew from his perch to stand on Antonio’s shoulder and waited for the small wink the pirate gave him before he started talking. Most of his words made no sense, mostly curses in Spanish, but they were loud enough and annoying enough for the crew members to wake up annoyed. Slowly a group of thirty angry sleeping men had gathered around Antonio, recognizing the call. Some of them looked like they were about to shoot the captain if he didn’t have a good reason for waking them up and the rest looked surprised that Antonio was alone…. Where was the little beast?

“Señores! Escuchenme~ Today, I have found an important mission from which if I succeed you will be able to profit from. There is a wizard on this party, your first mate and I attended today. You may remember him… you may remember his house, you rescued me from it!” A loud angry murmur ran through the crowd and more men were getting their pistols out now “SI! You remember. All the riches we can steal from that house, all we can sell, but there is a catch, it won’t be easy, and the wizard is not alone this time around. He had a lover this time and you all know what that means” A smirk crossed his face and he scanned their expressions for any signs of understanding.

‘We should lure him!’ ‘Capture him’ ‘Let’s go for him’ ‘Will they wizard pay anything for his head?’

The smirk grew on Antonio’s face but he put his hands on the air on sign of silence.

“We will capture him señores, but there are many powerful and immortal creatures in that house, we cannot afford to o and strike. We need to be discreet and that is the reason I will go alone!” The excited shouts that filled the silence of the night slowly died of and were replaced by murmurs and silent cries, with the new silence, the captain’s face turned solemn “If everything goes according to plan, I will be back before dawn with his bloodsucker as hostage, if not….” He paused letting his men draw the information in “If I’m not back at dawn please make sure to leave, and especially make sure to Lovino with you and remember, he is my first mate, the captain’s responsibilities will now be his. If the wizard lies a hand on him, he’ll become really powerful and come back and kill you all!”

Some of the men began taking their hats and patches, a sign of respect in case the captain didn’t make it back. Antonio knew he had won them over, they would do what he had told them too without questions, good, something to stop worrying about.

“Gracias hombres! Now get ready in case I come back, A TRABAJAR HOLGAZANES!” And with that the crowd dispersed, a cry of victory present on their lips, sleep long forgotten as they worked around the ship.

Securing his sword and weapons he climbed down the barrel and walked to the edge of the ship sliding down to the nearest rock and disappearing in the darkness of the forest.

The moonlight reflected its light finally a few meters away, where the trees disappeared and he took the last few steps until his feet were firmly planted on the naked soil where he had been standing merely an hour ago holding his lover. The house was in front of him again, as mighty and mysterious as the first time and that is when it first hit Antonio. He could go inside directly to where Arthur and the bloodsucker were and get himself killed. He could also look around the house but… the vampire knew the scent of his blood and Arthur would with no doubt detect his presence, it was suicide to go in like that.

He looked around frantically, searching for anything that could help him conceal his scent, plant, rock, animal, anything, A pair of green lights appeared in the dark near a corner of the house and he felt a shiver run down his spine, like being stripped naked and studied. He blinked and pulled at his clothes awkwardly before taking a tentative step towards the shiny orbs.

“Uhm Quien anda ahi?”

Posts : 24 Join date : 2010-11-15

She was tempted to wander inside, to hear and smell all that this alluring venue had to offer her this evening, but Maria held her ground. Something was coming up behind her, and she could taste the sweet hesitation and salty foolishness. Maria rather liked a challenge; when she found someone solid and stable she liked to tempt them just a bit, and watch them flounder. Often, they would stumble and sometimes she’d pick them up, offer them proverbial candy, as it were. Others, wouldn’t falter at all. They’d keep right on going without even noticing her influence. Both were a challenge, and she was graceful in both her failures and her gains. But this, well, this something – a man, but perhaps a high strung one – was more like an offered glass of wine. She could decline it, and be responsible, or she could take it and enjoy her self just a bit more. Anyone who knew her knew what her choice would be.

So she stood off to the corner of the mansion, sure that his eyes would meet hers. He wasn’t an unattractive man; mused brown hair that had a mind of its own and pretty green eyes that swam with sudden concern over his situation. Maria waited, stroking one finger up and down one of the black poles that made up the gate. She didn’t have to wait long for him to notice her; and when he did she could feel the loss of comfort that it gave to him.

He was unsure of her, which was honestly to his benefit, but he wasn’t about to turn tail and run like a smart man might have; she wasn’t about to give chaise to almost anyone with such an alluring feeling emanating from the mansion behind her. Maria heard the false assurance in the question he asked her, and found herself more interested in the slight tremor of the a, as the air rushed from his mouth.

This might be fun. Only time and patience would tell; two things she had quite a lot of.

"Aire. Tierra. Espíritus. ¿Que desea usted ver caminando ante sus ojos?"

Subject: Re: The Front Gate Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:10 pm

The warm air around him carried a woman’s voice to his ears , he hadn’t expected an answer in his own tongue, certainly not here in the middle of nowhere, the voice sounded too sweet, too motherly to not feel out of context in this sober place. But the warm dulcet of her voice filled his ears with memories from home, the warm sun touching his skin as the wind carried the aroma of his mother’s cooking to his nose, the cold brick stone of the small church where he used to spent hours admiring the sea from. Only he accent on the soft words was different, they didn’t have that soft intonation to the ‘s’ they used in his land, and the a seemed to lose the force he so often used when he spoke, they didn’t sound like phrases, but like a song all flowing together like one long words that never ended. It made Antonio shiver.

It would have been so easy to lose himself in the voice, to fall to his knees and let it wash over him forever, and he thought he would have if it weren’t for the strange words she had used. They sounded almost, like an invitation, and the idea snapped him out of this stupor enough to actually take a few steps forward and see her in her glory. Standing proud against the gate of the house, the black dress she was wearing only making her seem more sober and he noticed she blended in perfectly with the air of mystery and promise the very house provided. After years spent navigating the seas, killing and stealing, after being captured and threatened Antonio thought of himself as brave, but if so, why was he so eager to turn around and run, never come back. He was scared, terrified and the tremble in his voice was not something anyone could miss.

“¿Quien eres tu?”