Fire and Ice
Title: Fire and Ice
Pairing: Josef/Mick
Rating: R
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Mick looks to Josef for answers when he's plagued by bad dreams. Written for the TV_Network1 LAS comm round 2 (prompt: stranded) - also written for Moonlightaholics Champagne Challenge #127 (prompt: insomnia)
----------------------------------------
Mick wakes with a start. It’s been months since he last had those dreams; it’s not natural for a Vampire to dream this way.
Beth, and Beth leaving, and he being left stranded - alone…
For a moment Mick chases the remnants of images still flickering across his mind’s eye, before pressing the release button on his freezer door. The temperatures in L.A have been unseasonably high of late. Hot air rushes in, mixing with layers of cold; the atmosphere feels stifling, a cloying blanket of sticky heat, in spite of the icy receptacle.
Resisting the urge to hunker back down in the cold, Mick clambers out of the freezer instead. He quickly throws on some clothes, slips his feet into a pair of leather brocades - a jacket slung haphazardly over his shoulder. Josef’s place is only a short drive. Mick decides he’ll head there; figures it beats sitting around by himself - awake, and alone.
“So you decided to drive over here, and wake me up?” Josef was less than impressed at Mick’s arrival, having been pulled from his rest the way he had - Mick hammering on the glass of his freezer, unannounced, and uninvited. “You couldn’t have switched on the TV, maybe called up a chat line or something?” Josef furrows his brow, and quickly throws a robe around his naked form - kvetching all the while under his breath. It’s only then he notices the expression on Mick’s face.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Josef remarks with casual concern, as he takes Mick by the arm, and guides him downstairs.
“Not ghosts, just dreams.”
“Ghosts of a memory then,” Josef presses a glass of fresh blood into Mick’s hand, urges him to drink.
“Something like that.”
There’s a note of sorrow in Mick’s voice; his eyes downcast, Mick toys with the drink in his hand. Josef knows Mick’s reluctance; the way he clings to the past. He pushes, just a little bit.
“You had the same dreams when Coraline died, didn't you?"
“So? What’s that got to do with anything?” Mick’s reply is a little too quick off the mark. Josef arches an eyebrow in Mick’s direction, and throws him a challenging smile.
Come on, Mick - I know you’re not that self-ignorant…
Mick responds with the wave of a hand, a dismissive sound made at the back of his throat. He’s not here to be analysed. He just needs…
“…to let go?” Josef offers with overtones of exaggerated politeness. “You expected we were going to just have sex? Screw the small talk, let’s fuck? You tried the whole escaping into physicality vibe after Coraline, remember?”
“Who said anything about -"
“- Don’t kid yourself, Mick; I know you. The last time you dragged me out of the freezer, we ended up right back in it. Fire and ice, nice touch, this time I’d prefer to take a detour towards an actual bed,” Josef arches another eyebrow, facetious this time, and quick wits.
“If you’re so sure of yourself, let’s go.” Mick stands, and throws down his own challenge then. Too late, he realises he’s just confirmed Josef’s suspicions - when it comes down to the wire, Josef is always right. Mick sits back down, perched on the edge of his seat - his hands clutched in front of him. And when he speaks again, he delivers the words barely above a whisper.
“What’s so wrong about asking for a bit of companionship?”
“Nothing,” Josef shrugs as he lock focuses his gaze on Mick. “Did I say there was?”
“Then why all the preamble?”
“Intellectual foreplay,” Josef chortles at his own amusement, “it’s a new hobby of mine.”
“Bullshit.”
“Oh well spotted,” Josef raises his own glass in a mock toast. And then his manner’s shifting serious. “Try this on for size then. Maybe I’m sick of being an accessory after the fact. At some point, you’re going to have to stop using me as an escape.”
“So your dick grew a conscience,” Mick scoffs, “when did that happen?”
Josef ignores Mick’s rancour. “Coraline died, you came to me for comfort - and you still had those nightmares. Now Beth’s gone, you’re doing the same. Do you really think there’s going to be any difference this time around?”
“Why do you care if there isn’t?” Mick snaps in frustration; Josef isn’t supposed to be making this complicated. He’s meant to be easy street- all natty suit uniform, and cocky smile. Mick wills that Josef to appear; he doesn't want the one before him now - with his questions, and emotions, and the ridiculous idea of making Mick think.
I’m stranded in a sea of turmoil, throw me an anchor; don’t sit there and watch me drowning.
As if in answer to his prayers; Josef gets to his feet then, and walks over to where Mick sits - his hand outstretched.
“Whatever happens, your welfare is still my first concern. It always has been - You ask me why I care? Because I’m in love with you.” Josef doesn’t say those words out loud; instead he follows on with a cryptic, “You’ll come around eventually,” as Mick accepts Josef’s proffered hand in his.
“So where are we headed?” Mick asks - although he doesn’t really need to - as Josef begins to lead them from the room.
“The garden of unearthly delight,” Josef flourishes a mock hand. “Failing that - the nearest bedroom. That is what you came here for, isn’t it?” Josef tosses back over his shoulder then.
Mick nods his ascent. Anything beats lying awake, and alone; trying to fight back unseen demons intent on invading his dreams…
“Josef?”
“What?”
You had a point back there, Mick wants to say. Instead he smiles sheepishly, and mumbles a quick, “Thank you.”
“What are friends for?” Josef responds...
...And it's as close to 'I love you' as either will admit.
Pairing: Josef/Mick
Rating: R
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Mick looks to Josef for answers when he's plagued by bad dreams. Written for the TV_Network1 LAS comm round 2 (prompt: stranded) - also written for Moonlightaholics Champagne Challenge #127 (prompt: insomnia)
----------------------------------------
Mick wakes with a start. It’s been months since he last had those dreams; it’s not natural for a Vampire to dream this way.
Beth, and Beth leaving, and he being left stranded - alone…
For a moment Mick chases the remnants of images still flickering across his mind’s eye, before pressing the release button on his freezer door. The temperatures in L.A have been unseasonably high of late. Hot air rushes in, mixing with layers of cold; the atmosphere feels stifling, a cloying blanket of sticky heat, in spite of the icy receptacle.
Resisting the urge to hunker back down in the cold, Mick clambers out of the freezer instead. He quickly throws on some clothes, slips his feet into a pair of leather brocades - a jacket slung haphazardly over his shoulder. Josef’s place is only a short drive. Mick decides he’ll head there; figures it beats sitting around by himself - awake, and alone.
“So you decided to drive over here, and wake me up?” Josef was less than impressed at Mick’s arrival, having been pulled from his rest the way he had - Mick hammering on the glass of his freezer, unannounced, and uninvited. “You couldn’t have switched on the TV, maybe called up a chat line or something?” Josef furrows his brow, and quickly throws a robe around his naked form - kvetching all the while under his breath. It’s only then he notices the expression on Mick’s face.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Josef remarks with casual concern, as he takes Mick by the arm, and guides him downstairs.
“Not ghosts, just dreams.”
“Ghosts of a memory then,” Josef presses a glass of fresh blood into Mick’s hand, urges him to drink.
“Something like that.”
There’s a note of sorrow in Mick’s voice; his eyes downcast, Mick toys with the drink in his hand. Josef knows Mick’s reluctance; the way he clings to the past. He pushes, just a little bit.
“You had the same dreams when Coraline died, didn't you?"
“So? What’s that got to do with anything?” Mick’s reply is a little too quick off the mark. Josef arches an eyebrow in Mick’s direction, and throws him a challenging smile.
Come on, Mick - I know you’re not that self-ignorant…
Mick responds with the wave of a hand, a dismissive sound made at the back of his throat. He’s not here to be analysed. He just needs…
“…to let go?” Josef offers with overtones of exaggerated politeness. “You expected we were going to just have sex? Screw the small talk, let’s fuck? You tried the whole escaping into physicality vibe after Coraline, remember?”
“Who said anything about -"
“- Don’t kid yourself, Mick; I know you. The last time you dragged me out of the freezer, we ended up right back in it. Fire and ice, nice touch, this time I’d prefer to take a detour towards an actual bed,” Josef arches another eyebrow, facetious this time, and quick wits.
“If you’re so sure of yourself, let’s go.” Mick stands, and throws down his own challenge then. Too late, he realises he’s just confirmed Josef’s suspicions - when it comes down to the wire, Josef is always right. Mick sits back down, perched on the edge of his seat - his hands clutched in front of him. And when he speaks again, he delivers the words barely above a whisper.
“What’s so wrong about asking for a bit of companionship?”
“Nothing,” Josef shrugs as he lock focuses his gaze on Mick. “Did I say there was?”
“Then why all the preamble?”
“Intellectual foreplay,” Josef chortles at his own amusement, “it’s a new hobby of mine.”
“Bullshit.”
“Oh well spotted,” Josef raises his own glass in a mock toast. And then his manner’s shifting serious. “Try this on for size then. Maybe I’m sick of being an accessory after the fact. At some point, you’re going to have to stop using me as an escape.”
“So your dick grew a conscience,” Mick scoffs, “when did that happen?”
Josef ignores Mick’s rancour. “Coraline died, you came to me for comfort - and you still had those nightmares. Now Beth’s gone, you’re doing the same. Do you really think there’s going to be any difference this time around?”
“Why do you care if there isn’t?” Mick snaps in frustration; Josef isn’t supposed to be making this complicated. He’s meant to be easy street- all natty suit uniform, and cocky smile. Mick wills that Josef to appear; he doesn't want the one before him now - with his questions, and emotions, and the ridiculous idea of making Mick think.
I’m stranded in a sea of turmoil, throw me an anchor; don’t sit there and watch me drowning.
As if in answer to his prayers; Josef gets to his feet then, and walks over to where Mick sits - his hand outstretched.
“Whatever happens, your welfare is still my first concern. It always has been - You ask me why I care? Because I’m in love with you.” Josef doesn’t say those words out loud; instead he follows on with a cryptic, “You’ll come around eventually,” as Mick accepts Josef’s proffered hand in his.
“So where are we headed?” Mick asks - although he doesn’t really need to - as Josef begins to lead them from the room.
“The garden of unearthly delight,” Josef flourishes a mock hand. “Failing that - the nearest bedroom. That is what you came here for, isn’t it?” Josef tosses back over his shoulder then.
Mick nods his ascent. Anything beats lying awake, and alone; trying to fight back unseen demons intent on invading his dreams…
“Josef?”
“What?”
You had a point back there, Mick wants to say. Instead he smiles sheepishly, and mumbles a quick, “Thank you.”
“What are friends for?” Josef responds...
...And it's as close to 'I love you' as either will admit.