milliways_bar | (no subject)

A young red haired woman walks toward him, happy to see him. She immediately hugs him, her scent like snow and lilies, and looks up -- yes, up, she is only 5'4" -- at him with sparkling eyes the colour of a blue unknown to any outside Aman.

"Lee!" she giggles. "I have missed you."

Lee, probably the least observant guy ever to work for the CIA, does not notice the eyes, and the air in the bar is blowing in such a way as to keep him from catching the scent for several seconds, during which he stands stiff as a board and racks his brains for a memory of who exactly the hell this is and why she is hugging him.

"Oh!" He smacks her on the arm before hugging affectionately back. "Jerk. What's with the boobs?"

She smiles at him, happy to be in his arms.

"I spoke with Jason last night, and he prefers this form to my other. I like making him happy when he is unhappy, and he thinks this body has a nice ass."

Yes, Jason, she had caught that thought way back when.

"Just did not change back. I forgot you have not seen me thusly."

"Not really since Halloween--" Pause. Process.

"Who's Jason?" Very slight stiffening of the body, not jumping to conclusions just yet, but...

Námo tilts her head up at him.

"Jason is my friend. He is a lycanthrope. A wolf. Months ago, before my mind left me, he and I decided to experiment with my mental abilities. We have not yet, though Gorlim gave me his blessing, but we will soon. He seemed unhappy last night, and I was a bit despondant, and so we cuddled up and talked."

She smiles.

"It was wonderfully pleasant."

"Oh."

He's good at making forced smiles look reasonably natural, but not that good.

"Never met him...he sounds like a nice guy..."

What kind of mental experimentation, he can't help but wonder, nor can he help wondering why his blessing seems utterly irrelevant here.

She stares up as him, her arms loosening their hold.

"I have done something wrong again," she points out. "I can feel it. A flickering. Tell me, rawen, what have I done?"

Oh, no. He's already gotten into this discussion too many times with Mercutio and he doesn't intend to let it go any further here.

He sits down, pulling her gently down to sit with him, orders tea and coffee from a waitrat, and begins the business of putting it entirely out of his mind.

"Why do you always think you've done something wrong? Everything's fine."

Námo sighs, her face falling.

"Did you not promise to always be honest. You were smiling and happy and relaxed against me, and then you were not. Do you not want me speaking with Jason?"

"Do you have to put it like that? You make me sound like this abusive controlling asshole." He rolls his eyes. "You just come running up to me and you're like 'Oh yeah, there's this guy, and he likes my ass, and we were snuggling last night, and we're going to be doing mind-bonding stuff because Gorlim says it's okay...'"

He takes a dejected drink of coffee. "I mean, if you're having fun, then it's honestly all good. I just wish you'd...not tell me about fun that has to do with sleeping with other guys."

Even though you made me promise I'd consult you before doing it myself, since you'd be hurt otherwise.

"Oh."

She turns in the seat, sitting Indian-style.

"Lee, I am not sleeping with him. He is a terrible flirt, yes, and physical -- which I like -- but we are not intimate. We are friends. He needed some comfort, as did I, and for his kind touch is a comfort. It was pleasant and sweet. But there is no sex. Not at all. No bond. That is for you and Gorlim."

Námo took his hand hers, noticing the difference in size fondly.

"Lover-mine," she says as she looks into his eyes with a small smile. "What he and I spoke of long ago was of an experiment in what my mind can do. In his world, vampires are able ... to do this thing called 'rolling' with their minds. Bring intense pleasure from their mind alone. I wanted to learn to do that, and he and his vampire were going to help." She flushes. "If that is not something you want, then tell me. You are not controlling and never abusive, but your opinion matters -- what this means matters."

He feels better, though still a tiny bit naggingly hurt that only Gorlim's blessing had been spoken of as if it mattered at all.

"I just mistook your meaning." He squeezes her hand. "Everything's fine, then. I mean--even if you wanted to sleep with him--" He winces, barely-perceptibly. "I wouldn't ask you not to do something just because of jealousy. Only if I was really worried about getting shoved aside. And...you wouldn't do that."

She smiles, instinctively leaning up to kiss him lightly.

"I am yours and Gorlim's. I desire no other in such a way. My love is yours, as is my body, my mind, my spirit. I wished only to learn something new I could share with you both if you liked."

Námo glances down at their hands again.

"I would not like you simply bedding another, and if I would not like it, I would think you would not like me doing so."

"I wouldn't," he admits. "But...I don't know. I'm not used to having committed relationships around here. I sleep with you and Mercutio and on rare occasions Gorlim, and I'm not all that interested in anyone else, but I don't know if it'd be fair to ask anyone else to commit to the same level."

"You can ask me," she says softly. "I would not mind. If you want me..."

He pauses, still holding her hand.

"Would you?" he asks quietly. "Just me and Gorlim and your wife? And I'd do the same?"

She meets his eyes with her own familiar ones, no matter what shape she takes.

"I would," she replies just as quietly. "Us. Our family. I promise."

And there is a flood of relief in this softly spoken promise.

He smiles softly, and leans forward and kisses her. Female form or not, it's still his lover.

It's been a very long time since he's kissed anyone female, though. He's still adept at it, if rusty.

She is surprised and is still for a moment before melting against him, returning the kiss.

"Gorlim will not touch me in this form," she murmurs. "You are the first to do so in such a way."

Asar-Suti had been right. Arousal in this form was... different.

"Kind of ironic, really, that it's me." He pulls back, a little guiltily. This is very bizarre, and he doesn't want to...to what? Get her hopes up? It's Namo, and it isn't as if Lee's never been with a woman before. "I mean...I'm gay. But it's you."

Slight, bemused smile. "Milliways, eh?" He kisses her again.

She laughs.

"Would you prefer I return to the form you like, love?" she asks brightly following the kiss.

"I have to confess, I kind of miss it." He grins. "I mean, you can stay in this one if you like. I just wouldn't want it to be anything like permanent."

There is a blurring of form and air.

Where a little red-hair once sat was the tall, pale form of Námo, pointed ears and black hair. He smiles at Lee, leaning into kiss him.

"Better, rawen?" he asks in his lyrical tenor.

He accepts the kiss with considerably more enthusiasm.

"Much." He grins.

Námo laughs.

"There are times I like being female. Last night I was also a cat. Spent much time speaking with Faramir before we both fell asleep before the fire."

"It would be interesting," he muses. "Faramir? Boromir's brother, right?"

"Yes. Prince of Ithilien. He was very interested in both you and Gorlim."

He settles more comfortably on the seat, resting his hand on Lee's thigh.

"He thinks he would like to meet you."

Faramir's interest mystifies him a bit, but Lee certainly wouldn't object to meeting him. He nestles closer to Namo.

"Sure, I'll say hi if I see him. What's he look like?"

"Very much like Random. But his hair is longer, slightly red. He is quiet in temperment. A poet like our little bird."

His arm goes around Lee as he nuzzles him.

He winces with distaste at the mention of Random, though he knows it's hardly fair to judge Faramir based on whom he happens to look like. He wouldn't want anyone judging him by Ethaniel the tentacled social mutant, after all.

"Gorlim likes him?" He kisses Namo's cheek.

He entwines their fingers.

"Gorlim seems to be afraid of him. I think he fears judgement. I am not certain. He was ill when I last saw him, and I did not wish to push any topic with him."

He looks up anxiously. "How ill is he?"

He rests his head against Lee's shoulder.

"A cold. From when he went out into the woods following ... following the argument the other day. He was not well clothed, he was intoxicated, and he caught a cold."

Sharp, hard stab of guilt, right in the gut. Ow.

"Have to go find him," he murmurs.

He keeps the fact that Gorlim was also lost in his waking nightmares once more to himself.

"Yes. You should. He worships you, and your displeasure that night upset him." He kisses Lee sweetly. "I am certain he is about."

"I didn't mean to yell at him." He could kick himself right now.

Námo squeezes his hand.

I know that, and somewhere in him, he knows it, too. You were upset, and you had the right to be.

Go and find him, lover. Tell him you still love him and that you are no longer angry with me and that you are sorry.

He leans over, kissing Lee thoroughly and slowly before pulling away and standing up.

"Perhaps you will come to my room tonight. I miss sleeping beside you."

He squeezes Namo's hand and gets up from the table. "Sure thing."

"Love you," he murmurs before parting from him. He then watches Lee for a moment, eyes lingering on him, before he turns and heads for the stairs, wanting a bath and perhaps a book for his evening.