Conquered
Title: Conquered
Universe: The Anita Blake Universe
Pairing: Asher and Nathaniel
Written For: ginevra
Prompt: "I would have wrapped it, but I couldn't figure out where to put the bow."
Rating: adultish, mostly for some sexual overtones. not much language. no violence.
Word Count: 2147
Disclaimer: i don't own Asher or Nathaniel. they belong to LKH. i'm simply borrowing them to play with for a bit and will put them back when i'm finished. i have no money, so please don't sue me or anything.
Author's Notes: this was Gin's prompt from last year. it took me this long. sorry about that. hope you enjoy and its acceptable.
It had been a long night. It felt as if he'd gone from one crisis to another, putting out small fires that should have been handled by someone else. He'd have preferred it if they had. And because the evening had been filled with chaos, there was little darkness left for him to enjoy before the morning sun rose into the sky and rendered him insensible for another day.
It was quiet in the lair under the Circus of the Damned, everyone seemingly off doing one thing or another. He was sure that Jean Claude and Anita were together, celebrating the holiday in one way or another. That was part of the reason he had spent his night putting out inconsequential fires. Jean Claude had taken the night off and left him in control. Not that Asher minded, but there were times when he missed the way things had been. When he'd been the one with a beautiful woman to spend time with.
He knew he could spend time with Anita, but it was different. Julianna had been his. Anita was not. No matter how much she loved him, or claimed to, her heart still belonged to Jean Claude. As such, there were times when Asher felt as if he was a burden that they bore out of some misguided sense of honor. Some days, he wondered why he stayed.
The answer to that rose up in his mind, a simple answer that he had no argument against. He loved them both. Jean Claude had been his companion for a very long time. Even when Asher had been so angered with him, when he'd wanted Jean Claude's pretty head on a pole in retribution for Julianna's death, he'd loved the other man. Together, they'd borne many things that they might not have survived alone. And Anita... She saw past the scars that marred the perfection of his face to the man underneath. The real Asher. She loved him. All of him. His scars were nothing to her, as if they didn't exist.
Had one of them been in the living area, he might have stopped and lounged on one of the expensive sofas, chatted and talked about his day. He'd learned, under their tender companionship. that talking about those things that had stressed him were much easier to shoulder when he shared the burden. Tonight would have been a good night to sit and discuss those things that had piled up on him, but there was no one to talk to. It looked as if he would pass the rest of the evening on his own.
Passing through the living area, he found his way to the hallway that would take him to the private rooms. One of them was his to use as he pleased. For a moment, he frowned with the thought that no one would be waiting there for him. The thought was quickly pushed aside. Perhaps having time to himself wouldn't be such a bad thing. He could spend it however he chose. A mental image rose, one where he lounged on a couch in one of those stretchy white tank tops and a pair of boxers, one hand caught in the waistband of his shorts, while he watched something mind numbing on the television.
While he would likely never lower himself in such a manner, the image did present some sense of freedom that intrigued him.
The door to his room swung open on silent hinges. He didn't need the lights to find his way across the floor. The layout of the room was imprinted upon his memory, allowing him to take an unimpeded path straight to the lamp near his bed. It came on with a twist, illuminating the grand appointments in the stone chamber.
A bed as large as Jean Claude's dominated much of the floor space, the sheets of the finest silk. They had been died to match his eyes exactly, while the duvet was a mix of silk and the most luxurious velvet known to man. It was a pristine white edged with gold, while embroidered vine work swirled and spread across the surface. Two night stands sat on either side of the bed, their burnished cherry color matching the wood used to create the bed. A chair and sofa in the rococo style took up one corner, a small table set before them. All of the wood matched the bed set while the material used to upholster the sofa and chair matched the spread.
He stepped into the bathroom, already in the process of shedding his clothes. Even before he was fully naked, he had the water in the shower going. Unlike Jean Claude, he wasn't one to lounge in the tub without the presence of a beautiful woman. It had been a long, long time since he'd reclined in the bathtub.
Once stripped of his clothes, he stepped into the shower and ducked his head under the water. The temperature of the water worked at soothing the tension from his back muscles and shoulders. With nothing pressing, he took his time with his shower. The scents of his shampoo and his body wash complimented one another, working in conjunction with the water to help loosen the tension further. By the time he was done with the decadently long shower, he was as relaxed as he could be without having a sexual encounter.
He was toweling himself off when he sensed the hectic energy that waited for him outside the bathroom door. He paused and wondered who would have entered his rooms without his permission. When he realized that it was Nathaniel, he let go of the concern that had filled him. Apparently someone was willing to spend time with him.
Asher took his time with the toweling off. He made sure that his hair was no longer dripping before he slid into a robe and belted it closed. Very few people would visit him this late in the evening. He didn't think his guest would mind his attire. Nor would they mind having been made to wait. Eventually, there was nothing left to keep him in the bathroom. He crossed to the door, turned the knob and stepped out into his private chambers.
Nathaniel lay on his side across Asher's bed. He had his head propped up in his hand, his elbow buried in the pillows. The young were leopard was clad in a plain lavender tank top and a pair of silk pajama bottoms in black. Asher watched as the other man's gaze flicked over him, taking in the robe he wore, before a playful smile crossed his face. "You look like you've had a long, hard day."
"It has been forgettable," Asher replied. He leaned one hip against the bathroom door frame and stared at his visitor. "What brings you to my rooms so early in the morning?"
"A Christmas elf told me that you had a bad go of it and needed a little cheering up. I thought I'd bring you a Christmas gift."
Asher lifted a golden brow at the other man. "A Christmas gift? What kind of Christmas gift?"
"Something that's going to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy for a while." Nathaniel patted the bed with one hand. Asher wondered what the boy was up to. Did Anita know her favorite pet was with him? Did she care? He doubted she had any idea as to where the young man was or what he was doing. If anyone could help soothe away the troubles of the day, it was Nathaniel.
Asher made his way toward the bed slowly, as if he wasn't sure it was what he wanted to do. Nathaniel watched him, a predatory look flashing across the boy's face that was far from human. It was a look that didn't belong on a human at all.
There was plenty of room on the bed for Asher to climb up and stretch out beside his companion. Nathaniel smiled at him, watching as he settled against the pillows. "I know that the way things are arranged makes it hard for you," Nathaniel began. "I've watched you and how you long to be part of everything and everyone. You feel left out. And tonight, a night when you should be with people you love, you're all by yourself. That isn't fair to you."
"So you have come to make me feel better. Is that it?" Asher asked, unwilling to admit that Nathaniel was right. It was amazing to him just how observant the young man could be. No doubt far too many people had underestimated him because they felt he was little more than a pretty face. To find that he was capable of such deep thought was no doubt shocking to those who had never spent any time in his presence.
"I have." Nathaniel grinned at him, a secret lurking in his eyes. The boy radiated mischief and exuberance, excitement practically rolling off him in waves. He had something planned and, thank to his shamelessly child like joy in it, Asher found himself curious and anxious to discover what it was that the boy had in mind.
"Then do whatever it is you plan on doing that you believe will make me feel better."
Nathaniel nodded and sat up. "I want you to close your eyes, Asher. Keep them closed and don't peek. I'll tell you when you can open them." Asher shot him a look, his lips quirked into a wry grin, then heaved a sigh that suggested he was agreeing to a hardship and closed his eyes. He felt Nathaniel hover beside him for a moment or two longer, then the young man slipped from the bed, barely shifting the mattress beneath Asher's body as he did so.
The leopard's feet were silent as they padded across the carpeting. He stopped by the door, no doubt to look back at Asher and ensure he still had his eyes closed. The hinges made the slightest sound as the door opened. The sound of Nathaniel's heart faded slightly as he stepped outside, then grew louder again when he stepped back into the room. Along side of his heart, though, was a faster beat. Asher puzzled at that. What was Nathaniel up to?
The younger man retraced his steps across the room and climbed up onto the bed. His excitement was growing. And contagious. Asher was anxious to find out what it was the boy had in mind. When Nathaniel settled, he took a breath. "I would have wrapped it, but I couldn't figure out where to put the bow."
Something light came to rest on his chest.
"You can open your eyes now, Asher." There was something in Nathaniel's voice. Asher's eyes flew open and he stared. Right into a pair of blue eyes that were almost a perfect match for his. Had they been a shade or two lighter, he would have thought he was staring into his own eyes. If his face had fur on it, that was.
Those sweet little eyes were surrounded by white fur and sat at the top of a glistening pink nose. A little mouth opened and a rather forceful sound came out of it. The cat meowed at him. "A kitten?" Asher asked, turning to look at Nathaniel.
"Yes. Its someone who will always be there for you and will always love you. Someone all your own." Nathaniel fell silent and frowned. "You don't like your gift, do you? I'm sorry. I wanted to get you something that you didn't have to share with anyone. You... You don't eat kittens, right?"
The question saw Asher laughing. "No, Nathaniel. I do not eat kittens."
The young man smiled. "Then you like him?" There was honest earnestness in his voice. Asher studied the tiny feline. He was mostly white, though there were patches of cream colored fur here and there. The little beast's fur was fluffy and looked so soft that Asher couldn't stop himself from lifting a hand to stroke it down the kitten's back. The animal responded by arching his back, erupting into loud, rumbling purring and then settling himself sleepily in the center of Asher's chest. In the blink of an eye, the little one was sleeping happily.
"Yes, Nathaniel. I like him. Thank you for thinking of me."
The hesitance left, replaced by a brilliant smile that lightened the young man's eyes. He curled around himself, wrapping his arms about his legs so that he could rest his cheek against his knees. "You're welcome, Asher. He likes you." Nathaniel reached out to run a hand over the animal's fur. "What are you going to name him?"
"I think I shall call him Napoleon. He is already a little conqueror." And he was. The little fellow had already conquered Asher's heart.
Universe: The Anita Blake Universe
Pairing: Asher and Nathaniel
Written For: ginevra
Prompt: "I would have wrapped it, but I couldn't figure out where to put the bow."
Rating: adultish, mostly for some sexual overtones. not much language. no violence.
Word Count: 2147
Disclaimer: i don't own Asher or Nathaniel. they belong to LKH. i'm simply borrowing them to play with for a bit and will put them back when i'm finished. i have no money, so please don't sue me or anything.
Author's Notes: this was Gin's prompt from last year. it took me this long. sorry about that. hope you enjoy and its acceptable.
It had been a long night. It felt as if he'd gone from one crisis to another, putting out small fires that should have been handled by someone else. He'd have preferred it if they had. And because the evening had been filled with chaos, there was little darkness left for him to enjoy before the morning sun rose into the sky and rendered him insensible for another day.
It was quiet in the lair under the Circus of the Damned, everyone seemingly off doing one thing or another. He was sure that Jean Claude and Anita were together, celebrating the holiday in one way or another. That was part of the reason he had spent his night putting out inconsequential fires. Jean Claude had taken the night off and left him in control. Not that Asher minded, but there were times when he missed the way things had been. When he'd been the one with a beautiful woman to spend time with.
He knew he could spend time with Anita, but it was different. Julianna had been his. Anita was not. No matter how much she loved him, or claimed to, her heart still belonged to Jean Claude. As such, there were times when Asher felt as if he was a burden that they bore out of some misguided sense of honor. Some days, he wondered why he stayed.
The answer to that rose up in his mind, a simple answer that he had no argument against. He loved them both. Jean Claude had been his companion for a very long time. Even when Asher had been so angered with him, when he'd wanted Jean Claude's pretty head on a pole in retribution for Julianna's death, he'd loved the other man. Together, they'd borne many things that they might not have survived alone. And Anita... She saw past the scars that marred the perfection of his face to the man underneath. The real Asher. She loved him. All of him. His scars were nothing to her, as if they didn't exist.
Had one of them been in the living area, he might have stopped and lounged on one of the expensive sofas, chatted and talked about his day. He'd learned, under their tender companionship. that talking about those things that had stressed him were much easier to shoulder when he shared the burden. Tonight would have been a good night to sit and discuss those things that had piled up on him, but there was no one to talk to. It looked as if he would pass the rest of the evening on his own.
Passing through the living area, he found his way to the hallway that would take him to the private rooms. One of them was his to use as he pleased. For a moment, he frowned with the thought that no one would be waiting there for him. The thought was quickly pushed aside. Perhaps having time to himself wouldn't be such a bad thing. He could spend it however he chose. A mental image rose, one where he lounged on a couch in one of those stretchy white tank tops and a pair of boxers, one hand caught in the waistband of his shorts, while he watched something mind numbing on the television.
While he would likely never lower himself in such a manner, the image did present some sense of freedom that intrigued him.
The door to his room swung open on silent hinges. He didn't need the lights to find his way across the floor. The layout of the room was imprinted upon his memory, allowing him to take an unimpeded path straight to the lamp near his bed. It came on with a twist, illuminating the grand appointments in the stone chamber.
A bed as large as Jean Claude's dominated much of the floor space, the sheets of the finest silk. They had been died to match his eyes exactly, while the duvet was a mix of silk and the most luxurious velvet known to man. It was a pristine white edged with gold, while embroidered vine work swirled and spread across the surface. Two night stands sat on either side of the bed, their burnished cherry color matching the wood used to create the bed. A chair and sofa in the rococo style took up one corner, a small table set before them. All of the wood matched the bed set while the material used to upholster the sofa and chair matched the spread.
He stepped into the bathroom, already in the process of shedding his clothes. Even before he was fully naked, he had the water in the shower going. Unlike Jean Claude, he wasn't one to lounge in the tub without the presence of a beautiful woman. It had been a long, long time since he'd reclined in the bathtub.
Once stripped of his clothes, he stepped into the shower and ducked his head under the water. The temperature of the water worked at soothing the tension from his back muscles and shoulders. With nothing pressing, he took his time with his shower. The scents of his shampoo and his body wash complimented one another, working in conjunction with the water to help loosen the tension further. By the time he was done with the decadently long shower, he was as relaxed as he could be without having a sexual encounter.
He was toweling himself off when he sensed the hectic energy that waited for him outside the bathroom door. He paused and wondered who would have entered his rooms without his permission. When he realized that it was Nathaniel, he let go of the concern that had filled him. Apparently someone was willing to spend time with him.
Asher took his time with the toweling off. He made sure that his hair was no longer dripping before he slid into a robe and belted it closed. Very few people would visit him this late in the evening. He didn't think his guest would mind his attire. Nor would they mind having been made to wait. Eventually, there was nothing left to keep him in the bathroom. He crossed to the door, turned the knob and stepped out into his private chambers.
Nathaniel lay on his side across Asher's bed. He had his head propped up in his hand, his elbow buried in the pillows. The young were leopard was clad in a plain lavender tank top and a pair of silk pajama bottoms in black. Asher watched as the other man's gaze flicked over him, taking in the robe he wore, before a playful smile crossed his face. "You look like you've had a long, hard day."
"It has been forgettable," Asher replied. He leaned one hip against the bathroom door frame and stared at his visitor. "What brings you to my rooms so early in the morning?"
"A Christmas elf told me that you had a bad go of it and needed a little cheering up. I thought I'd bring you a Christmas gift."
Asher lifted a golden brow at the other man. "A Christmas gift? What kind of Christmas gift?"
"Something that's going to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy for a while." Nathaniel patted the bed with one hand. Asher wondered what the boy was up to. Did Anita know her favorite pet was with him? Did she care? He doubted she had any idea as to where the young man was or what he was doing. If anyone could help soothe away the troubles of the day, it was Nathaniel.
Asher made his way toward the bed slowly, as if he wasn't sure it was what he wanted to do. Nathaniel watched him, a predatory look flashing across the boy's face that was far from human. It was a look that didn't belong on a human at all.
There was plenty of room on the bed for Asher to climb up and stretch out beside his companion. Nathaniel smiled at him, watching as he settled against the pillows. "I know that the way things are arranged makes it hard for you," Nathaniel began. "I've watched you and how you long to be part of everything and everyone. You feel left out. And tonight, a night when you should be with people you love, you're all by yourself. That isn't fair to you."
"So you have come to make me feel better. Is that it?" Asher asked, unwilling to admit that Nathaniel was right. It was amazing to him just how observant the young man could be. No doubt far too many people had underestimated him because they felt he was little more than a pretty face. To find that he was capable of such deep thought was no doubt shocking to those who had never spent any time in his presence.
"I have." Nathaniel grinned at him, a secret lurking in his eyes. The boy radiated mischief and exuberance, excitement practically rolling off him in waves. He had something planned and, thank to his shamelessly child like joy in it, Asher found himself curious and anxious to discover what it was that the boy had in mind.
"Then do whatever it is you plan on doing that you believe will make me feel better."
Nathaniel nodded and sat up. "I want you to close your eyes, Asher. Keep them closed and don't peek. I'll tell you when you can open them." Asher shot him a look, his lips quirked into a wry grin, then heaved a sigh that suggested he was agreeing to a hardship and closed his eyes. He felt Nathaniel hover beside him for a moment or two longer, then the young man slipped from the bed, barely shifting the mattress beneath Asher's body as he did so.
The leopard's feet were silent as they padded across the carpeting. He stopped by the door, no doubt to look back at Asher and ensure he still had his eyes closed. The hinges made the slightest sound as the door opened. The sound of Nathaniel's heart faded slightly as he stepped outside, then grew louder again when he stepped back into the room. Along side of his heart, though, was a faster beat. Asher puzzled at that. What was Nathaniel up to?
The younger man retraced his steps across the room and climbed up onto the bed. His excitement was growing. And contagious. Asher was anxious to find out what it was the boy had in mind. When Nathaniel settled, he took a breath. "I would have wrapped it, but I couldn't figure out where to put the bow."
Something light came to rest on his chest.
"You can open your eyes now, Asher." There was something in Nathaniel's voice. Asher's eyes flew open and he stared. Right into a pair of blue eyes that were almost a perfect match for his. Had they been a shade or two lighter, he would have thought he was staring into his own eyes. If his face had fur on it, that was.
Those sweet little eyes were surrounded by white fur and sat at the top of a glistening pink nose. A little mouth opened and a rather forceful sound came out of it. The cat meowed at him. "A kitten?" Asher asked, turning to look at Nathaniel.
"Yes. Its someone who will always be there for you and will always love you. Someone all your own." Nathaniel fell silent and frowned. "You don't like your gift, do you? I'm sorry. I wanted to get you something that you didn't have to share with anyone. You... You don't eat kittens, right?"
The question saw Asher laughing. "No, Nathaniel. I do not eat kittens."
The young man smiled. "Then you like him?" There was honest earnestness in his voice. Asher studied the tiny feline. He was mostly white, though there were patches of cream colored fur here and there. The little beast's fur was fluffy and looked so soft that Asher couldn't stop himself from lifting a hand to stroke it down the kitten's back. The animal responded by arching his back, erupting into loud, rumbling purring and then settling himself sleepily in the center of Asher's chest. In the blink of an eye, the little one was sleeping happily.
"Yes, Nathaniel. I like him. Thank you for thinking of me."
The hesitance left, replaced by a brilliant smile that lightened the young man's eyes. He curled around himself, wrapping his arms about his legs so that he could rest his cheek against his knees. "You're welcome, Asher. He likes you." Nathaniel reached out to run a hand over the animal's fur. "What are you going to name him?"
"I think I shall call him Napoleon. He is already a little conqueror." And he was. The little fellow had already conquered Asher's heart.