Give pleasure. Accept pleasure. [Closed/Complete]
Characters: Peitho, Thanatos
Date/Time: March 22nd/Late (Backdated because we're slow. D: )
Location: Peitho's Apartment
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Cursing, mature themes.
Summary: An impromptu visit by Thanatos to Peitho leaves both of them unsatisfied, as usual.
While tensions had diminished between the two of them, as far as Thanatos was concerned, he still approached Peitho's door with a wariness encouraged by their first meeting on this plane. Reaching it after he managed to make his way through the piles of clothes, trinkets, and otherwise in the hallway, he knocked soundly upon the door, trying to keep his temper in check for now.
Peitho looked at the door. Whoever it was had far too excellent timing. She'd been splayed out on her bed the entire morning. The one time she decided she needed a drink of water before she spontaneously combust from dehydration was the time they decided to knock. She glared at the door, leaning against the wall in her living room. She had her glass of water in one hand and was watching the door. She wasn't sure if she wanted to answer it. She was in a worse state than the last time she had not wanted to answer a door.
He waited several seconds, listening in vain for any sort of sound on the opposite side before knocking a little bit louder, temper steadily rising. If she wasn't home, then what hope was there of getting these things moved? He'd rather not involve the manager, if he could avoid it. "Peitho?" he called, a note of annoyance in his voice, although he tried to mask it.
Peitho stared at the door while the knocking grew louder. She stayed still, slumped against the wall, still wondering if she should open it or not. While she was certain it wasn't Hermes, she didn't know who else it could be. And why. She waited until a voice called out her name. She straightened up. That was most certainly not Hermes. Gripping her water in one hand, she padded across the room, barefoot. Her hair was a mess, she knew, and she was certain she looked as hung-over as she felt. Which was a lot. Opening the door just a little bit, she peered up at Thanatos. He was too tall. "Yes?" she asked in a small, croaky voice that wasn't hers.
Arching a brow on seeing her, he was silent a moment before offering, "You look terrible." It wasn't said sympathetically, merely an observation. And here he'd thought she was meticulous as far as her appearance was concerned. "Do you know who these things out in the hallway belong to?" he finally asked, gesturing to them with a broad sweep of his right hand.
Peitho tried not to make a face at Thanatos when he commented on her appearance. She wasn't even sure if she could. All things considered, there was still a light buzzing going on around in her head. "Thank you," she responded sarcastically before looking at what he was gesturing at. Using the doorframe to prop herself up, she nodded. "Yeah," her lips thinned into a line. "Hermes."
He arched a brow at her answer, gaze shifting briefly behind her as though in an attempt to spot him, although judging from her tone, he doubted he would find him there. Then again, Hermes was strange, wasn't he? It would make sense if he'd just thrown his things out into the hallway just to torment the rest of them. It was things like this that reminded him of how wonderful it had been to live in relative seclusion in the underworld. "Is there any chance of it being cleared up in the near future or will I have to involve the apartment manager?"
Peitho frowned. The headache was getting worse. "I need to...go sit," she muttered, pulling the door open as an invitation as she stumbled to her couch. She was going to pass out if she didn't sit down. Blinking herself back to consciousness, she looked at the painting on the far wall. "He's supposed to come pick it up," she muttered. "I don't know when. I don't care."
He nodded slowly to her, though he didn't move to help her. Instead, he stood rather incredulously within her doorway, wondering whether or not he wanted to accept her unspoken invitation. Then again, she didn't look as though she was in much of a state to prove a threat to him. "I take it that you aren't getting along then." he commented, hesitantly stepping inside and seating himself as near to the door as he could get. "Why didn't you throw it out the window instead? Or into a dumpster?"
Stop asking such difficult questions, asshole. Peitho took a sip of the water she still carried -- it was a miracle she hadn't spilled. Peitho tossed her head back before dropping it unceremoniously on the back of her couch. "No, we aren't," she answered. "And because. Those aren't my things, they're his. And I don't make a habit of destroying other people's things. It's bad form."
"I fail to see how." he replied, recalling all too fondly how he'd destroyed a few of her things far too long ago. "It seems to get rid of any pent up hostilities, at any rate." Resting his chin in his hand, he sent her a thoughtful look. "I didn't think it would work out between the two of you, anyway. I sincerely doubt that either of you could maintain a stable relationship."
Peitho looked at Thanatos seriously. "I don't destroy other people's things because I don't like having people destroy mine. Also, I don't think this fight between Hermes' and myself should extend to personal belongings. He has his stuff; I have mine. There are also better ways to release anger."
She took a long drag from her glass. It was nearly empty now. She glared at Thanatos but said nothing at his last statement. It could have worked out between them, she knew it. She just...she didn't know what happened. She didn't believe that it was destined to fail.
"Then what was your motivation for tying me to a chair?" he demanded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "After getting me drunk. I take it that personal property is held in a higher regard than one's person?" He sent her an icy look. "I would like an explanation for that."
Peitho groaned as she shifted her weight around on the couch. Her legs were falling asleep. She turned around before laying her head back against the couch, glass by her knees. "That....was an unfortunate incident. The intention wasn't to hurt you. There are no excuses for my behavior in any case and I apologize," she said quickly before the buzz overtook her brain again. She drank more water and looked up at Thanatos.
He sent her a suspicious look. "You left me tied to a chair." he retorted. "How does that not involve an intent to hurt me?" He was just grateful that the marks on his wrists had healed and faded. Although he did accept her apology, he still wanted an explanation. "I fail to see what would motivate you to do that in the first place."
Peitho sat up. She was in no position to be making justifications. Still, she had burned one bridge. It wasn't smart to burn more. Holding on to the back of her couch for support, she looked at Thanatos. "Look, admit it. You didn't even feel the hurt until afterwards," she defended. "Leaving you tied up was a little overdramatic, I assure you and it's not something I would do again. The bondage -- it was supposed to be exciting for you," she shrugged before slumping back against the couch. Enough energy exertion for now.
He shifted almost uncomfortably where he sat, gaze shifting briefly to the ground. "I might not have reacted so badly if you hadn't left me tied." he replied. There was a part of him that had enjoyed the thrill, but that portion had quickly diminished as soon as she'd left him there. It was all too similar to the situation with Sisyphus and it had been eons before anyone had cared to free him. And then it had been Ares, no less, only because no one could die. "It would have been entirely different if I had consented to it."
She'd forgotten. Peitho had only remembered later, after Hypnos had reminded her. She'd felt horrible, but she really couldn't...didn't know what to say. And she didn't want to bring it up again in case it bothered him more. She wanted to reach out to pet him, but he was a little too far. And she didn't want to move. In case she fell over. She pat the space next to her gently, asking him to come if he wanted to silently. "It was terrible of me. I wasn't thinking about...what it would...do." She smiled, bemusedly. "Well, next time, I promise to ask first," she laughed lightly.
He sent her another wary look, but he made his way over to her, seating himself on the very edge of the couch, as far away as he could manage. "Wonderful." he replied with a brief roll of his eyes. "I don't see any reason arising in the near future that would result in you asking such a thing, for the record." Psyche, however... No. Absolutely not. "I'm fine now." he added almost defensively. The last thing he wanted was to be perceived as weak for his fear.
Peitho gave him a look when he sat far, far away. "I'm not going to eat you," she teased. "I'm clearly in no condition to attack you again. In fact, I should be more worried about you attacking me," she smiled gently. She remembered his little...trick. It had been precious and well-played, really. One had to give him props for it. "I am sorry, though," she added at length. "I hope we can be...friends, at least."
"I have no interest in attacking you." He fell silent at her offer of friendship, though, sending her a thoughtful look. "Although there is possibly something else you could help me with, when you aren't hungover." Did he really want to ask that of her, though? It wasn't so much that he minded the thought, but with his present feelings towards Psyche, something needed to happen before he started making attempts at her. Perhaps a release elsewhere would help.
Peitho smiled and let out a half-hearted snort of amusement. "Shame," she teased laughingly. She drained her glass and moved to put it on the coffee table. No small feat. She, however, managed to make it over there and back without killing herself -- which was excellent. She turned back to him when he asked his question. Except it really wasn't a question. She tilted her head. "Yes?"
How did one go about asking something of this nature? Did he even want to ask her this? No, it was ridiculous. He could keep proper control over himself as far as Psyche was concerned. He wasn't like the rest of them. He didn't need any physical reassurances as far as their friendship was concerned. "Nevermind." he replied.
Peitho continued to look at him before sighing gently and giving him a small smile. "Friends are supposed to help each other out," she said. She was surprised she could think straight as hungover as she was. She was feeling a little better now, though. The buzzing had stopped and she could feel her face muscles moving again. "I'd love to make things up to you. If there's a way I could..."
"It isn't something that I have to have." he replied, a defensive undertone to his voice. The last thing he wanted was to admit that this wasn't something he could handle on his own. And he'd manage to ignore anything involving physical intimacy for his entire life, hadn't he? The sudden urge surprised him, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
Peitho nodded. "Well, we could all do with a little frivolity sometimes," she said lightly before moving to the edge of her couch. She picked her glass up and smiled at Thanatos. "I'm just going to get a glass of water. Do you want anything?" she asked, walking towards her kitchen and deciding to ram into her coffee table for good measure. She stumbled and let out a little yelp as she began to fall.
It took Thanatos a moment to register what was happening. One moment, he'd been sitting on the couch and the next, he was on his feet, arms snaked about her in an attempt to keep her from falling. Blinking down at her, he arched a brow, a pensive look on his face. "I didn't let you fall." he commented, a hint of surprise in his voice.
The glass forgotten -- it lay somewhere beneath her table, she supposed. She clutched at Thanatos' arms as he propped her up. She looked up at him, the fright from the fall still dancing in her eyes. It took her a moment to regain her breath and she laughed a little. "Thank you," she breathed. Using him for support, she stood up a little. Despite all that, she still thought Thanatos was particularly pretty.
It took her speaking to snap him out of the stupor he'd been knocked into, body acutely aware of how close they were to one another. It reminded him far too much of how... No. No. "Are you all right?" he prompted off-handedly. While his grip loosened on her, he didn't let go entirely.
She nodded and then let out a nervous laugh. She surprised herself. She wasn't a particularly nervous person. "I'm all right. Thank you," she repeated, hands still on his arms. She looked up at him uncertainly. He hadn't let go, so she didn't step away. She...liked being in someone's arms. She steeled her mind against the path her brain was taking and instead focused on the man in front of her.
He nodded slowly, gaze sharp. For the briefest of seconds, it seemed as though he was going to lean forward, but he began to draw away instead. Yes, the temptation was there, but it didn't mean that he had to give into it. Besides, she looked terrible at present.
Peitho nodded again as he pulled away, letting him do so, hands still on his arms. She wasn't entirely sure her legs wouldn't give out from under her. And she had thought her brain was clearing. Apparently, her body had different ideas. It was a very random thing to do, she knew. Luckily, she had somehow decided that brushing her teeth would be helpful and she was glad she had made that random decision. She tiptoed and gave him a quick and very chaste (well, for her standards, at least) kiss.
Thanatos ground to a halt as he felt her press her lips press against his and while he didn't return the gesture, he stared down at her in question, finally speaking. "What was that for?" he prompted. It hadn't seemed like an intimate act. Perhaps a way of thanking him for not letting her fall?
Peitho pushed away, annoyed at herself. What had she expected, really? "Interpret it how you will," she teased, creating a facade of mystery that didn't really exist. She dropped to her knees to retrieve the glass that had rolled under the table. Locating it, she resurfaced and, staying on the floor, looked up at Thanatos. "I'm going to get a glass of water -- no side trips this time -- would you like anything?" she asked politely.
"Is that what I'm supposed to do?" he prompted. As though in challenge to her, he sank down to her level on the floor, taking her cheek gently into his hand before he pressed his lips to hers once more. He allowed it to last a breath longer than Peitho's before drawing away and moving to stand again. "Interpret that how you will." he offered, not at all interested in being outdone by her yet again.
She smiled up at him, amused and letting him figure it out by himself. Thus, she was more than a little surprised when he sank down to kiss her.
All right. He started it. Really. The succeeding event should not be considered her fault. Peitho reached out for his shirt and tugged at it, pulling him down. She rose up onto her knees to kiss him properly. He had better respond or I am taking the glass and breaking it over his head.
The tug on his shirt startled him, making it all too easy for her to pull him down, although he was a little more prepared for the kiss, as a result. As soon as she began to kiss him, he began to kiss back, trying to take control over it rather than allow himself to be dominated by her as he had been when they'd first met. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in his willingness to try to take the lead.
Despite the fact that she had wanted him to respond, she hadn't really expected it. Taken aback by Thanatos returning her kiss, she let him control it, allowing him the lead. Even though she had a tendency to be more dominant when it came to -- well -- everything, she found being subordinate was just as exciting. It was...intriguing, not knowing what was going to happen next. She let him kiss her and the glass slipped from her hand to roll under the table again.
Having very little prior experience to rely on, he drew her closer to him out of a desire to further his control of the situation rather than any inclination towards physical contact. Hands slipping down to her hips, he let them rest there, keeping her in place, yet not really offering any real emotion. His lips continued to work against hers until the need to breathe grew too strong, finally withdrawing, "Is it any better when it's given?" he prompted, hands sliding from her hips.
He was...sloppy. Well, she didn't mean it literally, but he lacked experience and it was easy enough to tell, unfortunately. Peitho could have a little fun here. "Hmmm...I think I need a longer sample before I give a verdict," she teased, tugging his shirt to join her on the couch. As romantic as the floor was, her knees were beginning to hurt.
He allowed her to guide him to the couch, arching a brow as he did so. He was well aware of how new he was at this, but this was an opportunity to learn how to improve, if nothing else. "I'm doing this wrong, aren't I?" he prompted, pausing a breath away from her. It didn't particularly matter to him, but he supposed she should enjoy it as well.
Peitho pushed her lips out in a pout as she thought. How was she supposed to word it nicely? "Not wrong, sweetheart. This isn't an examination where there's a right or wrong," she answered finally. All right, there was too much talking going on. "It isn't something that can be taught, only learned." She pushed him against the back of the couch before swinging one leg over his lap and straddling him. Bending down, she took the lead, leading into it slowly and methodically.
"I figured as much." he replied. However, despite his cool demeanor, her sudden straddling caught him off guard and his eyes visibly widened. Still, he was going to trust her this time. He would conquer this fear one way or another. As she started the kiss once more, he let her take the lead for now, trying to learn from it as she did so.
She sat comfortably in his lap and wound her arms around his neck. She broke the kiss to breathe, moving to nibble on his lower lip gently. Pulling away, she opened her eyes to look at him, silently asking whether or not he liked it (she'd be deeply offended if the answer was no) and if he had learned anything. She was going painfully slow, even for her standards, she hadn't even tried to reach what the modern generation called "first base" that time.
As she moved her arms around his neck, he stiffened momentarily, relaxing once he reminded himself that, while she might be in control of the situation at present, he could overpower her, if need be. The nibbling made him arch a brow and as she pulled away, he stared back at her in question. However, the heat of his gaze was enough to assure her that he had enjoyed it.
Peitho moved her hands back onto his shoulders and kneaded softly. "You've got to learn to relax, sweetheart. You're never going to enjoy anything if you don't," she told him fondly. She ran a hand through his hair affectionately before pressing her lips against his again, more forcefully this time. She parted her lips in invitation, wondering if he would know what to do. Really, Thanatos seemed like the only person in the entire complex who could dominate her and, yet, he didn't know how. It was particularly frustrating.
Again, he initially tensed, but beneath her ministrations, he slowly began to relax. "I'm fine..." he muttered. As she ran her hand through his hair, he found himself unconsciously leaning into her touch. Meanwhile, the forceful kiss caught him off guard, though he attempted to return it with the same amount of force. It took him a moment to understand and accept the invitation, but he allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth, inwardly hoping that he was doing it right.
It wasn't as bad as Peitho expected. All right, that was a little harsh, but she hadn't known him to be particularly talented in the art and she had ridiculously high standards. Despite that, the kiss was sort of pleasant. She lifted her hips off his lap a little so she could angle her head to deepen the kiss. She waited until her lungs started to burn before she pulled away, taking a deep breath as she did so. Looking down at Thanatos, she licked her lips and smiled. She touched his cheek gently. "It's better when it's given."
Thanatos tried to meet her at every stride, but he realized it probably wasn't up to her usual standards. After all, she was the goddess of seduction, wasn't he? While some would argue that love and death were similar, particularly those of a medieval mindset, he generally failed to see how. The only time he'd seen anything of a similarity was when he'd died that one time. The corners of his mouth twitched upward at her words as he struggled to control his breathing. "I'm glad to hear it." he replied. At least the chances of her tying him to a chair and leaving him were slim now.
Peitho bit back the initial response that came to mind: Is that a smile I see there? Nothing killed the mood faster than sarcasm. Except maybe playing "Net Disconnected" from .hack as mood music. Peitho, instead, leaned closer. She closed her eyes as she brushed her lips against his gently. She opened her eyes and looked into his. The corners of her lips twitched into a smile. "Seduce me," she whispered.
"Seduce you?" he echoed, looking a little startled. Hadn't she had trouble walking earlier and now she wanted something along those lines? Then again, most of the people in the complex seemed willing to have sex regardless of the situation. ...was that what she wanted? Or did she mean something else?
Peitho rolled off of him and settled back on her couch, leaning the small of her back against the sofa's arm. He'd seemed surprised. Was this just the cutesy stuff, then? She shrugged internally. She didn't mind. She actually thought foreplay was more fun than the actual act most of the time. Which would explain her word choice. She smiled a little at Thanatos, wondering what he would do. There was always the option of leaving, though she hoped he would not take that one.
He faltered a moment, not entirely sure as to how to proceed. He knew what she expected of him, it was just a matter now of trying to ignore his own inexperience as far as seduction was concerned. Leaning over to her, he began to mouth kisses along her jaw, assuming it was a safe approach, for now.
Peitho giggled, amused. She tilted her head a little to the side, letting him continue on his attempt. It was entertaining, to say the least. She put her arms around his shoulders and rested them on him lightly. She relaxed, her mind still buzzing a little, and allowed Thanatos to do what he would. She was certain she was in no trouble, all things considered. Thanatos did not seem to like violence in any case.
At her giggling, Thanatos withdrew, arching a brow. "Are you laughing at me?" he demanded. He didn't see what was so damn funny, at any rate. She wanted to give him the chance to actually respond to her and to take control, but she was going to go so far as to laugh at him? He knew he was inexperienced, he didn't need her to tell him that.
She kept her hold on him, keeping him from going far. She looked at him with a smile. "Of course not, sweetie," she said, stroking his hair. "Are you tense?" she asked, choosing the safest term she could think up on the spot. She continued to play with his hair in an effort to have him relax. He was certainly far too high strung for her tastes, this one. But he was just so pretty.
He sent her a dubious look, although he remained where he was for now, tensing further beneath her hold. The hand in his hair caught him off guard, though, and he unconsciously leaned into her touch. "I'm fine." he shot back, scowling slightly. "I believe we've already established the fact that I'm not as experienced at this as you are. There's no need to draw further attention to it."
Peitho pouted at him a little. "What would you have me do instead, then?" she asked lightly. "Scowl while you try?" She touched his cheek gently, trying to get him to understand that she wasn't laughing at him. She leaned back quietly, releasing his shoulders from her grip. "I'm not pointing it out, sweetheart," she added. "The only reason you've gotten this far is because I like you, not because you're convenient," she cooed.
"Laughing is hardly preferable." he protested, frowning at her. He arched a brow as she touched his cheek. "When was it that you began to like me. You hardly know me, the last I recall." How much did he even know about her? Then again, it wasn't as though it mattered.. He still wasn't entirely certain that he trusted her.
She stretched quietly, straightening her legs out on the couch. She was getting bored and quite quickly. On a normal day, she might have even enjoyed their banter, but as it was, her head was still buzzing and she wanted something baser and more physical. "All right, I'll pout at you," she said, pushing out her lower lip a little bit. "I've always liked you, sweetheart. Just because you're in the Underworld doesn't mean I don't see you come out once in a while."
"I don't recall ever spending any time exclusively with you. I didn't even recognize you when I first arrived on this plane. Then again, I suppose our appearances have been altered." He frowned at her. "Since I'm 'doing it wrong,' maybe I should stop wasting your time." The edge to his voice suggested that he wasn't at all happy with her.
Peitho sighed and sat up. "You don't have to spend time with a person to like them. Sometimes, you just like them for what they don't do," she responded, tone weary. This was never going to work out at this rate. At least he wasn't going to kill her anymore. "I never said you were doing it wrong," Peitho said, placing a hand on his chest and pushing him away gently. "I do think you had best go, though."
"Don't do?" he echoed. As she pushed him, though, he certainly wasn't going to stop her. "Maybe it would be for the best. Neither of us seems to be particularly interested in this, at any rate." His interest had been waning ever since she laughed. Climbing to his feet, he made to start towards the door. "I don't think that you're particularly good at it, either." he threw over his shoulder. "I'm certainly not begging for more."
Peitho fell back on her couch when he made to leave. She propped herself up on one elbow when he addressed her. She smirked at him. "Just because you can't climb the tree doesn't mean it bears bad fruit," she teased with a small smile before curling up on her couch. She'd been looking for something else. If she just wanted the sex, she'd have called Dionysus. "Good afternoon, Thanatos."
"Some of us don't want to climb the tree." he shot back. In truth, his annoyance was more so directed at himself than at her, but he certainly wasn't going to take it out on himself. "Good afternoon." That said, he slipped out the door, closing it behind him.
Date/Time: March 22nd/Late (Backdated because we're slow. D: )
Location: Peitho's Apartment
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Cursing, mature themes.
Summary: An impromptu visit by Thanatos to Peitho leaves both of them unsatisfied, as usual.
While tensions had diminished between the two of them, as far as Thanatos was concerned, he still approached Peitho's door with a wariness encouraged by their first meeting on this plane. Reaching it after he managed to make his way through the piles of clothes, trinkets, and otherwise in the hallway, he knocked soundly upon the door, trying to keep his temper in check for now.
Peitho looked at the door. Whoever it was had far too excellent timing. She'd been splayed out on her bed the entire morning. The one time she decided she needed a drink of water before she spontaneously combust from dehydration was the time they decided to knock. She glared at the door, leaning against the wall in her living room. She had her glass of water in one hand and was watching the door. She wasn't sure if she wanted to answer it. She was in a worse state than the last time she had not wanted to answer a door.
He waited several seconds, listening in vain for any sort of sound on the opposite side before knocking a little bit louder, temper steadily rising. If she wasn't home, then what hope was there of getting these things moved? He'd rather not involve the manager, if he could avoid it. "Peitho?" he called, a note of annoyance in his voice, although he tried to mask it.
Peitho stared at the door while the knocking grew louder. She stayed still, slumped against the wall, still wondering if she should open it or not. While she was certain it wasn't Hermes, she didn't know who else it could be. And why. She waited until a voice called out her name. She straightened up. That was most certainly not Hermes. Gripping her water in one hand, she padded across the room, barefoot. Her hair was a mess, she knew, and she was certain she looked as hung-over as she felt. Which was a lot. Opening the door just a little bit, she peered up at Thanatos. He was too tall. "Yes?" she asked in a small, croaky voice that wasn't hers.
Arching a brow on seeing her, he was silent a moment before offering, "You look terrible." It wasn't said sympathetically, merely an observation. And here he'd thought she was meticulous as far as her appearance was concerned. "Do you know who these things out in the hallway belong to?" he finally asked, gesturing to them with a broad sweep of his right hand.
Peitho tried not to make a face at Thanatos when he commented on her appearance. She wasn't even sure if she could. All things considered, there was still a light buzzing going on around in her head. "Thank you," she responded sarcastically before looking at what he was gesturing at. Using the doorframe to prop herself up, she nodded. "Yeah," her lips thinned into a line. "Hermes."
He arched a brow at her answer, gaze shifting briefly behind her as though in an attempt to spot him, although judging from her tone, he doubted he would find him there. Then again, Hermes was strange, wasn't he? It would make sense if he'd just thrown his things out into the hallway just to torment the rest of them. It was things like this that reminded him of how wonderful it had been to live in relative seclusion in the underworld. "Is there any chance of it being cleared up in the near future or will I have to involve the apartment manager?"
Peitho frowned. The headache was getting worse. "I need to...go sit," she muttered, pulling the door open as an invitation as she stumbled to her couch. She was going to pass out if she didn't sit down. Blinking herself back to consciousness, she looked at the painting on the far wall. "He's supposed to come pick it up," she muttered. "I don't know when. I don't care."
He nodded slowly to her, though he didn't move to help her. Instead, he stood rather incredulously within her doorway, wondering whether or not he wanted to accept her unspoken invitation. Then again, she didn't look as though she was in much of a state to prove a threat to him. "I take it that you aren't getting along then." he commented, hesitantly stepping inside and seating himself as near to the door as he could get. "Why didn't you throw it out the window instead? Or into a dumpster?"
Stop asking such difficult questions, asshole. Peitho took a sip of the water she still carried -- it was a miracle she hadn't spilled. Peitho tossed her head back before dropping it unceremoniously on the back of her couch. "No, we aren't," she answered. "And because. Those aren't my things, they're his. And I don't make a habit of destroying other people's things. It's bad form."
"I fail to see how." he replied, recalling all too fondly how he'd destroyed a few of her things far too long ago. "It seems to get rid of any pent up hostilities, at any rate." Resting his chin in his hand, he sent her a thoughtful look. "I didn't think it would work out between the two of you, anyway. I sincerely doubt that either of you could maintain a stable relationship."
Peitho looked at Thanatos seriously. "I don't destroy other people's things because I don't like having people destroy mine. Also, I don't think this fight between Hermes' and myself should extend to personal belongings. He has his stuff; I have mine. There are also better ways to release anger."
She took a long drag from her glass. It was nearly empty now. She glared at Thanatos but said nothing at his last statement. It could have worked out between them, she knew it. She just...she didn't know what happened. She didn't believe that it was destined to fail.
"Then what was your motivation for tying me to a chair?" he demanded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "After getting me drunk. I take it that personal property is held in a higher regard than one's person?" He sent her an icy look. "I would like an explanation for that."
Peitho groaned as she shifted her weight around on the couch. Her legs were falling asleep. She turned around before laying her head back against the couch, glass by her knees. "That....was an unfortunate incident. The intention wasn't to hurt you. There are no excuses for my behavior in any case and I apologize," she said quickly before the buzz overtook her brain again. She drank more water and looked up at Thanatos.
He sent her a suspicious look. "You left me tied to a chair." he retorted. "How does that not involve an intent to hurt me?" He was just grateful that the marks on his wrists had healed and faded. Although he did accept her apology, he still wanted an explanation. "I fail to see what would motivate you to do that in the first place."
Peitho sat up. She was in no position to be making justifications. Still, she had burned one bridge. It wasn't smart to burn more. Holding on to the back of her couch for support, she looked at Thanatos. "Look, admit it. You didn't even feel the hurt until afterwards," she defended. "Leaving you tied up was a little overdramatic, I assure you and it's not something I would do again. The bondage -- it was supposed to be exciting for you," she shrugged before slumping back against the couch. Enough energy exertion for now.
He shifted almost uncomfortably where he sat, gaze shifting briefly to the ground. "I might not have reacted so badly if you hadn't left me tied." he replied. There was a part of him that had enjoyed the thrill, but that portion had quickly diminished as soon as she'd left him there. It was all too similar to the situation with Sisyphus and it had been eons before anyone had cared to free him. And then it had been Ares, no less, only because no one could die. "It would have been entirely different if I had consented to it."
She'd forgotten. Peitho had only remembered later, after Hypnos had reminded her. She'd felt horrible, but she really couldn't...didn't know what to say. And she didn't want to bring it up again in case it bothered him more. She wanted to reach out to pet him, but he was a little too far. And she didn't want to move. In case she fell over. She pat the space next to her gently, asking him to come if he wanted to silently. "It was terrible of me. I wasn't thinking about...what it would...do." She smiled, bemusedly. "Well, next time, I promise to ask first," she laughed lightly.
He sent her another wary look, but he made his way over to her, seating himself on the very edge of the couch, as far away as he could manage. "Wonderful." he replied with a brief roll of his eyes. "I don't see any reason arising in the near future that would result in you asking such a thing, for the record." Psyche, however... No. Absolutely not. "I'm fine now." he added almost defensively. The last thing he wanted was to be perceived as weak for his fear.
Peitho gave him a look when he sat far, far away. "I'm not going to eat you," she teased. "I'm clearly in no condition to attack you again. In fact, I should be more worried about you attacking me," she smiled gently. She remembered his little...trick. It had been precious and well-played, really. One had to give him props for it. "I am sorry, though," she added at length. "I hope we can be...friends, at least."
"I have no interest in attacking you." He fell silent at her offer of friendship, though, sending her a thoughtful look. "Although there is possibly something else you could help me with, when you aren't hungover." Did he really want to ask that of her, though? It wasn't so much that he minded the thought, but with his present feelings towards Psyche, something needed to happen before he started making attempts at her. Perhaps a release elsewhere would help.
Peitho smiled and let out a half-hearted snort of amusement. "Shame," she teased laughingly. She drained her glass and moved to put it on the coffee table. No small feat. She, however, managed to make it over there and back without killing herself -- which was excellent. She turned back to him when he asked his question. Except it really wasn't a question. She tilted her head. "Yes?"
How did one go about asking something of this nature? Did he even want to ask her this? No, it was ridiculous. He could keep proper control over himself as far as Psyche was concerned. He wasn't like the rest of them. He didn't need any physical reassurances as far as their friendship was concerned. "Nevermind." he replied.
Peitho continued to look at him before sighing gently and giving him a small smile. "Friends are supposed to help each other out," she said. She was surprised she could think straight as hungover as she was. She was feeling a little better now, though. The buzzing had stopped and she could feel her face muscles moving again. "I'd love to make things up to you. If there's a way I could..."
"It isn't something that I have to have." he replied, a defensive undertone to his voice. The last thing he wanted was to admit that this wasn't something he could handle on his own. And he'd manage to ignore anything involving physical intimacy for his entire life, hadn't he? The sudden urge surprised him, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
Peitho nodded. "Well, we could all do with a little frivolity sometimes," she said lightly before moving to the edge of her couch. She picked her glass up and smiled at Thanatos. "I'm just going to get a glass of water. Do you want anything?" she asked, walking towards her kitchen and deciding to ram into her coffee table for good measure. She stumbled and let out a little yelp as she began to fall.
It took Thanatos a moment to register what was happening. One moment, he'd been sitting on the couch and the next, he was on his feet, arms snaked about her in an attempt to keep her from falling. Blinking down at her, he arched a brow, a pensive look on his face. "I didn't let you fall." he commented, a hint of surprise in his voice.
The glass forgotten -- it lay somewhere beneath her table, she supposed. She clutched at Thanatos' arms as he propped her up. She looked up at him, the fright from the fall still dancing in her eyes. It took her a moment to regain her breath and she laughed a little. "Thank you," she breathed. Using him for support, she stood up a little. Despite all that, she still thought Thanatos was particularly pretty.
It took her speaking to snap him out of the stupor he'd been knocked into, body acutely aware of how close they were to one another. It reminded him far too much of how... No. No. "Are you all right?" he prompted off-handedly. While his grip loosened on her, he didn't let go entirely.
She nodded and then let out a nervous laugh. She surprised herself. She wasn't a particularly nervous person. "I'm all right. Thank you," she repeated, hands still on his arms. She looked up at him uncertainly. He hadn't let go, so she didn't step away. She...liked being in someone's arms. She steeled her mind against the path her brain was taking and instead focused on the man in front of her.
He nodded slowly, gaze sharp. For the briefest of seconds, it seemed as though he was going to lean forward, but he began to draw away instead. Yes, the temptation was there, but it didn't mean that he had to give into it. Besides, she looked terrible at present.
Peitho nodded again as he pulled away, letting him do so, hands still on his arms. She wasn't entirely sure her legs wouldn't give out from under her. And she had thought her brain was clearing. Apparently, her body had different ideas. It was a very random thing to do, she knew. Luckily, she had somehow decided that brushing her teeth would be helpful and she was glad she had made that random decision. She tiptoed and gave him a quick and very chaste (well, for her standards, at least) kiss.
Thanatos ground to a halt as he felt her press her lips press against his and while he didn't return the gesture, he stared down at her in question, finally speaking. "What was that for?" he prompted. It hadn't seemed like an intimate act. Perhaps a way of thanking him for not letting her fall?
Peitho pushed away, annoyed at herself. What had she expected, really? "Interpret it how you will," she teased, creating a facade of mystery that didn't really exist. She dropped to her knees to retrieve the glass that had rolled under the table. Locating it, she resurfaced and, staying on the floor, looked up at Thanatos. "I'm going to get a glass of water -- no side trips this time -- would you like anything?" she asked politely.
"Is that what I'm supposed to do?" he prompted. As though in challenge to her, he sank down to her level on the floor, taking her cheek gently into his hand before he pressed his lips to hers once more. He allowed it to last a breath longer than Peitho's before drawing away and moving to stand again. "Interpret that how you will." he offered, not at all interested in being outdone by her yet again.
She smiled up at him, amused and letting him figure it out by himself. Thus, she was more than a little surprised when he sank down to kiss her.
All right. He started it. Really. The succeeding event should not be considered her fault. Peitho reached out for his shirt and tugged at it, pulling him down. She rose up onto her knees to kiss him properly. He had better respond or I am taking the glass and breaking it over his head.
The tug on his shirt startled him, making it all too easy for her to pull him down, although he was a little more prepared for the kiss, as a result. As soon as she began to kiss him, he began to kiss back, trying to take control over it rather than allow himself to be dominated by her as he had been when they'd first met. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in his willingness to try to take the lead.
Despite the fact that she had wanted him to respond, she hadn't really expected it. Taken aback by Thanatos returning her kiss, she let him control it, allowing him the lead. Even though she had a tendency to be more dominant when it came to -- well -- everything, she found being subordinate was just as exciting. It was...intriguing, not knowing what was going to happen next. She let him kiss her and the glass slipped from her hand to roll under the table again.
Having very little prior experience to rely on, he drew her closer to him out of a desire to further his control of the situation rather than any inclination towards physical contact. Hands slipping down to her hips, he let them rest there, keeping her in place, yet not really offering any real emotion. His lips continued to work against hers until the need to breathe grew too strong, finally withdrawing, "Is it any better when it's given?" he prompted, hands sliding from her hips.
He was...sloppy. Well, she didn't mean it literally, but he lacked experience and it was easy enough to tell, unfortunately. Peitho could have a little fun here. "Hmmm...I think I need a longer sample before I give a verdict," she teased, tugging his shirt to join her on the couch. As romantic as the floor was, her knees were beginning to hurt.
He allowed her to guide him to the couch, arching a brow as he did so. He was well aware of how new he was at this, but this was an opportunity to learn how to improve, if nothing else. "I'm doing this wrong, aren't I?" he prompted, pausing a breath away from her. It didn't particularly matter to him, but he supposed she should enjoy it as well.
Peitho pushed her lips out in a pout as she thought. How was she supposed to word it nicely? "Not wrong, sweetheart. This isn't an examination where there's a right or wrong," she answered finally. All right, there was too much talking going on. "It isn't something that can be taught, only learned." She pushed him against the back of the couch before swinging one leg over his lap and straddling him. Bending down, she took the lead, leading into it slowly and methodically.
"I figured as much." he replied. However, despite his cool demeanor, her sudden straddling caught him off guard and his eyes visibly widened. Still, he was going to trust her this time. He would conquer this fear one way or another. As she started the kiss once more, he let her take the lead for now, trying to learn from it as she did so.
She sat comfortably in his lap and wound her arms around his neck. She broke the kiss to breathe, moving to nibble on his lower lip gently. Pulling away, she opened her eyes to look at him, silently asking whether or not he liked it (she'd be deeply offended if the answer was no) and if he had learned anything. She was going painfully slow, even for her standards, she hadn't even tried to reach what the modern generation called "first base" that time.
As she moved her arms around his neck, he stiffened momentarily, relaxing once he reminded himself that, while she might be in control of the situation at present, he could overpower her, if need be. The nibbling made him arch a brow and as she pulled away, he stared back at her in question. However, the heat of his gaze was enough to assure her that he had enjoyed it.
Peitho moved her hands back onto his shoulders and kneaded softly. "You've got to learn to relax, sweetheart. You're never going to enjoy anything if you don't," she told him fondly. She ran a hand through his hair affectionately before pressing her lips against his again, more forcefully this time. She parted her lips in invitation, wondering if he would know what to do. Really, Thanatos seemed like the only person in the entire complex who could dominate her and, yet, he didn't know how. It was particularly frustrating.
Again, he initially tensed, but beneath her ministrations, he slowly began to relax. "I'm fine..." he muttered. As she ran her hand through his hair, he found himself unconsciously leaning into her touch. Meanwhile, the forceful kiss caught him off guard, though he attempted to return it with the same amount of force. It took him a moment to understand and accept the invitation, but he allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth, inwardly hoping that he was doing it right.
It wasn't as bad as Peitho expected. All right, that was a little harsh, but she hadn't known him to be particularly talented in the art and she had ridiculously high standards. Despite that, the kiss was sort of pleasant. She lifted her hips off his lap a little so she could angle her head to deepen the kiss. She waited until her lungs started to burn before she pulled away, taking a deep breath as she did so. Looking down at Thanatos, she licked her lips and smiled. She touched his cheek gently. "It's better when it's given."
Thanatos tried to meet her at every stride, but he realized it probably wasn't up to her usual standards. After all, she was the goddess of seduction, wasn't he? While some would argue that love and death were similar, particularly those of a medieval mindset, he generally failed to see how. The only time he'd seen anything of a similarity was when he'd died that one time. The corners of his mouth twitched upward at her words as he struggled to control his breathing. "I'm glad to hear it." he replied. At least the chances of her tying him to a chair and leaving him were slim now.
Peitho bit back the initial response that came to mind: Is that a smile I see there? Nothing killed the mood faster than sarcasm. Except maybe playing "Net Disconnected" from .hack as mood music. Peitho, instead, leaned closer. She closed her eyes as she brushed her lips against his gently. She opened her eyes and looked into his. The corners of her lips twitched into a smile. "Seduce me," she whispered.
"Seduce you?" he echoed, looking a little startled. Hadn't she had trouble walking earlier and now she wanted something along those lines? Then again, most of the people in the complex seemed willing to have sex regardless of the situation. ...was that what she wanted? Or did she mean something else?
Peitho rolled off of him and settled back on her couch, leaning the small of her back against the sofa's arm. He'd seemed surprised. Was this just the cutesy stuff, then? She shrugged internally. She didn't mind. She actually thought foreplay was more fun than the actual act most of the time. Which would explain her word choice. She smiled a little at Thanatos, wondering what he would do. There was always the option of leaving, though she hoped he would not take that one.
He faltered a moment, not entirely sure as to how to proceed. He knew what she expected of him, it was just a matter now of trying to ignore his own inexperience as far as seduction was concerned. Leaning over to her, he began to mouth kisses along her jaw, assuming it was a safe approach, for now.
Peitho giggled, amused. She tilted her head a little to the side, letting him continue on his attempt. It was entertaining, to say the least. She put her arms around his shoulders and rested them on him lightly. She relaxed, her mind still buzzing a little, and allowed Thanatos to do what he would. She was certain she was in no trouble, all things considered. Thanatos did not seem to like violence in any case.
At her giggling, Thanatos withdrew, arching a brow. "Are you laughing at me?" he demanded. He didn't see what was so damn funny, at any rate. She wanted to give him the chance to actually respond to her and to take control, but she was going to go so far as to laugh at him? He knew he was inexperienced, he didn't need her to tell him that.
She kept her hold on him, keeping him from going far. She looked at him with a smile. "Of course not, sweetie," she said, stroking his hair. "Are you tense?" she asked, choosing the safest term she could think up on the spot. She continued to play with his hair in an effort to have him relax. He was certainly far too high strung for her tastes, this one. But he was just so pretty.
He sent her a dubious look, although he remained where he was for now, tensing further beneath her hold. The hand in his hair caught him off guard, though, and he unconsciously leaned into her touch. "I'm fine." he shot back, scowling slightly. "I believe we've already established the fact that I'm not as experienced at this as you are. There's no need to draw further attention to it."
Peitho pouted at him a little. "What would you have me do instead, then?" she asked lightly. "Scowl while you try?" She touched his cheek gently, trying to get him to understand that she wasn't laughing at him. She leaned back quietly, releasing his shoulders from her grip. "I'm not pointing it out, sweetheart," she added. "The only reason you've gotten this far is because I like you, not because you're convenient," she cooed.
"Laughing is hardly preferable." he protested, frowning at her. He arched a brow as she touched his cheek. "When was it that you began to like me. You hardly know me, the last I recall." How much did he even know about her? Then again, it wasn't as though it mattered.. He still wasn't entirely certain that he trusted her.
She stretched quietly, straightening her legs out on the couch. She was getting bored and quite quickly. On a normal day, she might have even enjoyed their banter, but as it was, her head was still buzzing and she wanted something baser and more physical. "All right, I'll pout at you," she said, pushing out her lower lip a little bit. "I've always liked you, sweetheart. Just because you're in the Underworld doesn't mean I don't see you come out once in a while."
"I don't recall ever spending any time exclusively with you. I didn't even recognize you when I first arrived on this plane. Then again, I suppose our appearances have been altered." He frowned at her. "Since I'm 'doing it wrong,' maybe I should stop wasting your time." The edge to his voice suggested that he wasn't at all happy with her.
Peitho sighed and sat up. "You don't have to spend time with a person to like them. Sometimes, you just like them for what they don't do," she responded, tone weary. This was never going to work out at this rate. At least he wasn't going to kill her anymore. "I never said you were doing it wrong," Peitho said, placing a hand on his chest and pushing him away gently. "I do think you had best go, though."
"Don't do?" he echoed. As she pushed him, though, he certainly wasn't going to stop her. "Maybe it would be for the best. Neither of us seems to be particularly interested in this, at any rate." His interest had been waning ever since she laughed. Climbing to his feet, he made to start towards the door. "I don't think that you're particularly good at it, either." he threw over his shoulder. "I'm certainly not begging for more."
Peitho fell back on her couch when he made to leave. She propped herself up on one elbow when he addressed her. She smirked at him. "Just because you can't climb the tree doesn't mean it bears bad fruit," she teased with a small smile before curling up on her couch. She'd been looking for something else. If she just wanted the sex, she'd have called Dionysus. "Good afternoon, Thanatos."
"Some of us don't want to climb the tree." he shot back. In truth, his annoyance was more so directed at himself than at her, but he certainly wasn't going to take it out on himself. "Good afternoon." That said, he slipped out the door, closing it behind him.