Tag Archives: iamvictorroth

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor stayed still, his muscles trembling under her fingers until her hand reached his mouth. He took her hand in his and pressed his cheek to her palm then turned to face her. Little butterfly kisses landed on her wrist, her palm and each of her fingers then before he pulled her in closer. “Gods did I miss you, an’ hell jus’ bein’ near you is heaven enough for me,” he whispered then kissed her forehead.  

Summer didn’t expect to be able to sleep. She expected to be staring into the dark, throat tight and eyes hot, for hours; to jerk out of a fitful doze every hour or so. So she was surprised to open her eyes to chill winter dawnlight, still curled up against Victor.

For a few heartbeats she wasn’t actually sure she /was/ awake. There had been dreams almost exactly like this. She turned her head to look up at the ceiling, trying to find some way to know she was really awake, before deciding it didn’t matter. If she was going to dream this lucidly, she would enjoy it while it lasted.

So she edged herself closer to Victor, curling her fingers into his skin, and waited for him to wake up.

The musty rot of mildew soaked the air as he came to. He was hanging by his wrists, the cuffs attached to the chain digging into his flesh. The door opened with a whine as his tormentor waltzed into the prison cell. Xander carried his favorite tool, his metal cane. Again with the same question, “Will you do as you were meant to and rebuild the Academy?” Again, the same answer, “Never.” The look of strange disappointment on Xander’s face before he swung the cane into Victor’s ribs.

Victor started awake, his eyes wide as it took him a moment to remember where he was. He looked over at Summer and pulled her close to him, willing himself to calm down. His eyes closed as he tried to fill his senses only with her scent. He let out a shaky exhale and whispered, “I’m sorry.” 

Tentatively, he ran his fingers down her jaw and over her cheekbone, recommitting her to memory in an effort to push out the remnants of his nightmare.  

She was not going to — she was /not/ going to — the spark was still there. The one they’d blown into a raging blaze practically the day they’d met. It jumped from his fingers to her skin and chased down her spine. “Why?” she asked, pulling a knee up to drape over his leg under the covers, the length of her body pressed to the length of his.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor didn’t say anything, he didn’t let it outwardly affect him when she didn’t tack on the ‘darling’ at the end of her sentence. He knew he couldn’t just expect her to go back to how things used to be. Wordlessly he went and changed into the dry set of clothes. As he tugged on the shirt he looked down and examined himself for the first time in a long time. There were new scars to add to his old ones and surely there would be new nightmares to add it his old ones as well now. Part of him wondered what he was thinking and if he should have come here at all. He should have just kept Summer out of it all, the last thing she probably needed right now was his sorry ass waltzing back into her life. Victor lay down on the bed, his hands tucked behind his head while he just stared at the ceiling, waiting for Summer to come back.

Just like that, standing in the doorway to her room, seeing him lie on the bed — tasting the renewed darkness inside him — just like that she was crying again. Not sobbing, but the hideous, silent, burning tears that welled up and overflowed, welled up and overflowed with every blink, spilled out from under closed eyelids. She hit the light switch, plunging the room into silvery darkness, and picked her way to the bed.

Somekitty hit the floor with a mrt and a thump, and she climbed into the warm spot left behind, turning her face into Victor’s shoulder and curling up against his body. He still smelled faintly of blood and pain, although she wasn’t sure if she was actually smelling that or if it was just empathic synaesthesia. Hesitantly, she lifted a hand, lightly brushing it over him until she touched his mouth, and left her fingers there, trembling slightly.

Victor stayed still, his muscles trembling under her fingers until her hand reached his mouth. He took her hand in his and pressed his cheek to her palm then turned to face her. Little butterfly kisses landed on her wrist, her palm and each of her fingers then before he pulled her in closer. “Gods did I miss you, an’ hell jus’ bein’ near you is heaven enough for me,” he whispered then kissed her forehead.  

Summer didn’t expect to be able to sleep. She expected to be staring into the dark, throat tight and eyes hot, for hours; to jerk out of a fitful doze every hour or so. So she was surprised to open her eyes to chill winter dawnlight, still curled up against Victor.

For a few heartbeats she wasn’t actually sure she /was/ awake. There had been dreams almost exactly like this. She turned her head to look up at the ceiling, trying to find some way to know she was really awake, before deciding it didn’t matter. If she was going to dream this lucidly, she would enjoy it while it lasted.

So she edged herself closer to Victor, curling her fingers into his skin, and waited for him to wake up.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

“He’s not a vampire, an’ no, he’s not even exactly sure of the location of my house right now. He’s a human tha’ got some outside help as t’ how t’ bind vampires.” Victor looked down at the floor. “I-um would you mind jus’ laying there with me? If not I get it, y’know I’ve been gone an’ such.”

She’d been going to sleep on the couch. Been going to say ‘no’, before he even asked. Except when he did ask, it was so diffident, so already sure of her ‘no’, she changed her mind. “Yes, alright, Victor d—” She did cut off the ‘darling’ before it left her lips. “Go put on some dry clothes,” she said instead. If she really looked at him nude, tonight, fuck knew what might happen.

She slipped back into the bathroom to gather up his wet clothes without, again, waiting for an answer. How did you recreate the space in your life that had been left empty, that had started to heal? If he had just been away, and kept in touch, that would be different, but he had been /gone/. Utterly absent in a way that brooked no argument and left only room for grieving. What did you do when the grieving cycle was brutally interrupted by a /lack/ of absence?

Summer became aware that she was standing over the dryer, arms braced on its top, staring at nothing at all. Helios sat in the kitchen entrance, watching her with grave blue eyes. “Yes, alright, fuzzbutt,” she told him, and let him let the way to her bedroom.

Victor didn’t say anything, he didn’t let it outwardly affect him when she didn’t tack on the ‘darling’ at the end of her sentence. He knew he couldn’t just expect her to go back to how things used to be. Wordlessly he went and changed into the dry set of clothes. As he tugged on the shirt he looked down and examined himself for the first time in a long time. There were new scars to add to his old ones and surely there would be new nightmares to add it his old ones as well now. Part of him wondered what he was thinking and if he should have come here at all. He should have just kept Summer out of it all, the last thing she probably needed right now was his sorry ass waltzing back into her life. Victor lay down on the bed, his hands tucked behind his head while he just stared at the ceiling, waiting for Summer to come back.

Just like that, standing in the doorway to her room, seeing him lie on the bed — tasting the renewed darkness inside him — just like that she was crying again. Not sobbing, but the hideous, silent, burning tears that welled up and overflowed, welled up and overflowed with every blink, spilled out from under closed eyelids. She hit the light switch, plunging the room into silvery darkness, and picked her way to the bed.

Somekitty hit the floor with a mrt and a thump, and she climbed into the warm spot left behind, turning her face into Victor’s shoulder and curling up against his body. He still smelled faintly of blood and pain, although she wasn’t sure if she was actually smelling that or if it was just empathic synaesthesia. Hesitantly, she lifted a hand, lightly brushing it over him until she touched his mouth, and left her fingers there, trembling slightly.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor eased his grip on her a little, not wanting to crush her. He knew he was far from forgiven and everything was far from over. He expected nothing else. “I could try t’ kill him, I jus’ wouldn’t be able t’ count on my vampiric strength. If you want t’ give it a shot then go ahead, love.”

“You’re sure he’s not going to unexpectedly turn up on my doorstep tonight?” Summer pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. “I could really wish that whole ‘invitation-only’ mythology were true.” She led her head fall back enough to thunk on the wall gently, briefly, before pushing herself away from it. “I found you some clothes. You should probably sleep.”

“He’s not a vampire, an’ no, he’s not even exactly sure of the location of my house right now. He’s a human tha’ got some outside help as t’ how t’ bind vampires.” Victor looked down at the floor. “I-um would you mind jus’ laying there with me? If not I get it, y’know I’ve been gone an’ such.”

She’d been going to sleep on the couch. Been going to say ‘no’, before he even asked. Except when he did ask, it was so diffident, so already sure of her ‘no’, she changed her mind. “Yes, alright, Victor d—” She did cut off the ‘darling’ before it left her lips. “Go put on some dry clothes,” she said instead. If she really looked at him nude, tonight, fuck knew what might happen.

She slipped back into the bathroom to gather up his wet clothes without, again, waiting for an answer. How did you recreate the space in your life that had been left empty, that had started to heal? If he had just been away, and kept in touch, that would be different, but he had been /gone/. Utterly absent in a way that brooked no argument and left only room for grieving. What did you do when the grieving cycle was brutally interrupted by a /lack/ of absence?

Summer became aware that she was standing over the dryer, arms braced on its top, staring at nothing at all. Helios sat in the kitchen entrance, watching her with grave blue eyes. “Yes, alright, fuzzbutt,” she told him, and let him let the way to her bedroom.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

“I missed you too Summer. I swear I came t’ you as soon as I could. I didn’t even bother t’ hunt. I wouldn’t even dream about putting an end t’ us. T’ be honest, the thought of you reinforced my will t’ not give in t’ Xander.” Victor held her tighter. “The weather wasn’t my fault though an’ definitely not planned, love. You can be mad, distraught or whichever but I’ll always make my way back t’ you so long as you let me.”

His grip was starting to hurt, but she didn’t care. He was real, he was there, so she held on tighter. Maybe later, maybe tomorrow she would yell at him; the backlash of six months of absence would spill over into their relationship — whatever that was.

Into his shoulder, she muttered, “Can I kill him? I’m tired of this.”

Victor eased his grip on her a little, not wanting to crush her. He knew he was far from forgiven and everything was far from over. He expected nothing else. “I could try t’ kill him, I jus’ wouldn’t be able t’ count on my vampiric strength. If you want t’ give it a shot then go ahead, love.”

“You’re sure he’s not going to unexpectedly turn up on my doorstep tonight?” Summer pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. “I could really wish that whole ‘invitation-only’ mythology were true.” She led her head fall back enough to thunk on the wall gently, briefly, before pushing herself away from it. “I found you some clothes. You should probably sleep.”

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor waited a second before standing up. He took a moment to make sure he wasn’t going to collapse then he showered as quickly as he could. His hand reached out for the towels and he dried himself off as best as he could. He donned the robe and left the bathroom. Victor found Summer leaning against the wall and a pang of guilt went through him. “I don’t need any more blood right now Summer. I-it’s jus’ tha’ things happened while I was captive. I haven’t been the same in a while an’ I need t’ heal.” He wrapped his arms around her gently, the wall holding both of them up.

When he put his arms around her, she let her hands fall to his shoulders and her head to his chest. “I was so worried,” she whispered. “I was afraid you’d gone back to the alcohol. That someone had killed you and I would never know, because to the real world you don’t exist anymore. That vanishing was your way of putting an end to, to us. So many things.”

She sniffled, and went on, “I missed you so much. So much. And then just when I finally started to heal, when it finally stopped being my first thought when I woke up — then you’re here, on my doorstep, in the rain you melodramatic shit,” she shoved one shoulder, “and I don’t know how to feel.”

“I missed you too Summer. I swear I came t’ you as soon as I could. I didn’t even bother t’ hunt. I wouldn’t even dream about putting an end t’ us. T’ be honest, the thought of you reinforced my will t’ not give in t’ Xander.” Victor held her tighter. “The weather wasn’t my fault though an’ definitely not planned, love. You can be mad, distraught or whichever but I’ll always make my way back t’ you so long as you let me.”

His grip was starting to hurt, but she didn’t care. He was real, he was there, so she held on tighter. Maybe later, maybe tomorrow she would yell at him; the backlash of six months of absence would spill over into their relationship — whatever that was.

Into his shoulder, she muttered, “Can I kill him? I’m tired of this.”

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor didn’t argue with Summer, knowing it was futile. “Yeah, I can walk,” he said mostly to himself since she had gone to the kitchen. He trudged up to the bathroom and started the shower. He stepped in and suddenly felt like his legs were going to give out on him so he slid down the wall and sat on the floor of the shower. Victor closed his eyes and just sat there with his head in his hands. Things were a mess and he needed to prepare but first he needed to sort himself out. 

Rubbing at the edges of the bandage, Summer went into the bathroom. “You okay? I can’t — I’m not going — uuugh. If you need more blood, I don’t know how to handle that.” She pulled out a couple towels and set them on the counter, then hung a robe over the edge of the door. “I’ll — I — I still have some of your clothes. Here. I’ll just … go get those.”

How was she supposed to stay angry at him when he kept looking like that? Months he was gone, and then he shows up looking beat up and the world is after him. Leaning against the wall, she put her head in her hands, struggling to control her feelings.

Victor waited a second before standing up. He took a moment to make sure he wasn’t going to collapse then he showered as quickly as he could. His hand reached out for the towels and he dried himself off as best as he could. He donned the robe and left the bathroom. Victor found Summer leaning against the wall and a pang of guilt went through him. “I don’t need any more blood right now Summer. I-it’s jus’ tha’ things happened while I was captive. I haven’t been the same in a while an’ I need t’ heal.” He wrapped his arms around her gently, the wall holding both of them up.

When he put his arms around her, she let her hands fall to his shoulders and her head to his chest. “I was so worried,” she whispered. “I was afraid you’d gone back to the alcohol. That someone had killed you and I would never know, because to the real world you don’t exist anymore. That vanishing was your way of putting an end to, to us. So many things.”

She sniffled, and went on, “I missed you so much. So much. And then just when I finally started to heal, when it finally stopped being my first thought when I woke up — then you’re here, on my doorstep, in the rain you melodramatic shit,” she shoved one shoulder, “and I don’t know how to feel.”

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor’s tired eyes looked up to her and quietly took her wrist to his mouth. The first drop of blood that hit his tongue sent an explosive feeling through him and he continued to drink just enough so that he didn’t feel as if he was on death’s door. “Thank you, an’ yes, they will, I’ve yet t’ figure out a plan for that yet but they’re a ways out from finding me. If anything I’m sure of tha’.”

“You’re staying here.” The statement left no room for argument. “He will know where your house is. Can you walk now?” She pushed down on her knees and stood up. “Because you need a shower before you catch your death of cold.” Helios flicked an ear and licked a stray raindrop.

Not waiting for an answer, she went into the kitchen to bandage up her wrist.

Victor didn’t argue with Summer, knowing it was futile. “Yeah, I can walk,” he said mostly to himself since she had gone to the kitchen. He trudged up to the bathroom and started the shower. He stepped in and suddenly felt like his legs were going to give out on him so he slid down the wall and sat on the floor of the shower. Victor closed his eyes and just sat there with his head in his hands. Things were a mess and he needed to prepare but first he needed to sort himself out. 

Rubbing at the edges of the bandage, Summer went into the bathroom. “You okay? I can’t — I’m not going — uuugh. If you need more blood, I don’t know how to handle that.” She pulled out a couple towels and set them on the counter, then hung a robe over the edge of the door. “I’ll — I — I still have some of your clothes. Here. I’ll just … go get those.”

How was she supposed to stay angry at him when he kept looking like that? Months he was gone, and then he shows up looking beat up and the world is after him. Leaning against the wall, she put her head in her hands, struggling to control her feelings.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor didn’t protest, he was suddenly having a hard enough time focusing on the present. He sat down, not moving when Helios began to lick his fingers and took a deep breath. “Xander….he, he got me. He found a way t’ bind me. I couldn’t leave. I wanted t’ jus’ make it stop but he wanted me t’ turn others. I lost track of the days after a month. He started t’ starve me some time after the first month. They slipped up an’ I made it out, this is somewhere ‘round day 7.” He shuddered as the myriad of memories flooded his brain. “I came here as soon as I could Summer.”

Sighing, she rubbed a little more, before kneeling beside him and holding out a wrist. “Just a little,” she warned. “If you take too much, I will set you on fire.” She closed her eyes, waiting, and thought about what he’d said. “They’re going to be coming after you. However he caught you the first time, it might work again.”

Victor’s tired eyes looked up to her and quietly took her wrist to his mouth. The first drop of blood that hit his tongue sent an explosive feeling through him and he continued to drink just enough so that he didn’t feel as if he was on death’s door. “Thank you, an’ yes, they will, I’ve yet t’ figure out a plan for that yet but they’re a ways out from finding me. If anything I’m sure of tha’.”

“You’re staying here.” The statement left no room for argument. “He will know where your house is. Can you walk now?” She pushed down on her knees and stood up. “Because you need a shower before you catch your death of cold.” Helios flicked an ear and licked a stray raindrop.

Not waiting for an answer, she went into the kitchen to bandage up her wrist.

Been Gone A Long While

iamvictor-roth:

iamthefirechild:

iamvictor-roth:

Victor stumbled through the door, a dizziness flooding his head, and he closed his eyes trying to shake the dizziness. All he heard when he closed his eyes was the blood pumping through her veins and he took a step back. It was day 7 since he’d fed thanks to Xander. Victor leaned against the wall, still very much needing something to help keep him standing. ” ‘Ello Summer, been a long time an’ I wish I could’ve made it ‘ere sooner.” Over the course of the sentence Victor’s eyes got a faraway look in them and he shook his head in an effort to get rid of it. “Didn’t stop till I got ‘ere actually.” There was the nagging feeling in the back of his head that his sentences weren’t making any sense but he was having a hard enough time just forming the thoughts going through his mind. He felt relieved though, relieved that she was ok.

“Where the /hell have you been/?” she finally got out, the furious edge of it blunted by the horrible way he looked. An imperious finger pointed to the couch. “Sit.” Still seething, she stalked down the hall and pulled a towel from the hall closet. When she came back, Helios was licking raindrops from Victor’s hands with great earnestness, one paw braced against a knee.

Sighing, she draped the towel over Victor’s head and began to rub. “Start talking and I might forgive you.”

Victor didn’t protest, he was suddenly having a hard enough time focusing on the present. He sat down, not moving when Helios began to lick his fingers and took a deep breath. “Xander….he, he got me. He found a way t’ bind me. I couldn’t leave. I wanted t’ jus’ make it stop but he wanted me t’ turn others. I lost track of the days after a month. He started t’ starve me some time after the first month. They slipped up an’ I made it out, this is somewhere ‘round day 7.” He shuddered as the myriad of memories flooded his brain. “I came here as soon as I could Summer.”

Sighing, she rubbed a little more, before kneeling beside him and holding out a wrist. “Just a little,” she warned. “If you take too much, I will set you on fire.” She closed her eyes, waiting, and thought about what he’d said. “They’re going to be coming after you. However he caught you the first time, it might work again.”