AB/BtVS FF: Nightmares in Waking Life 47/?
TITLE: Nightmares in Waking Life
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii, overall
PAIRINGS: All the pairings from the previous two stories---and some new ones, too
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the whole TV series for the Buffyverse; Alive at Last and Living Underground.
WARNINGS: A little bit of fur... bdsm... the usuals for Anita's crazy, crazy world.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone---except for any original characters that I whip up to do my bidding ;)
NOTE: This story is a sequel to Living Underground.
Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-11, 12, 13, 14-5, 16-7, 18-9, 20-1, 22, 23, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43-44, 45, 46
PART FORTY-SEVEN
When the blond vampire returned to the bedroom, Willow was sleeping under Richard's watchful gaze. She was partially lying on the Ulfric's body and for a moment, despite the exhausting conversation held between himself, Jean-Claude, and Anita, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to press his body against that of his human servant to kiss the alpha werewolf. He shook his head, as if to physically dislodge the thought from his mind, and then removed his slippers so he could approach and climb onto the bed.
"What's up?" Richard asked quietly.
"Anita has decided that Jean-Claude is too attentive to Willow's needs for his interest in her to be only one of friendship."
"She's right."
Asher glared at him.
Richard lifted one hand in a defensive gesture. "I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying she's right. She thinks it's wrong. She's the one with the problem with it."
"Why are you so enlightened all of a sudden?" the vampire asked suspiciously.
The werewolf snorted. "Why do you always question me when I say something that might make our lives easier?"
Asher smiled. "Because it does not sound like you, mon ami."
"Maybe it's a shielding problem," Richard admitted. "But... it's exhausting to be the one fighting all the time. I'm stuck here---I could be miserable, or I could do my best to enjoy it."
"I do like that you're making an effort."
Richard smiled a bit. "I love Willow and Anita. They love you and Jean-Claude. I can't fight this and win."
"Do you object to mon corbeau's feelings for Willow?" Asher inquired.
The Ulfric shrugged. "Sometimes... a little. I don't... like the idea of the two of them together. But, I can't see him breaking Anita's rules and I don't know how Willow feels about him... and... and... Anita doesn't love us any less because she loves Micah and Nathaniel. Why would Willow be any different?"
"If I thought you would enjoy the advance, I would kiss you right now," Asher said with a smile.
Richard scowled. "I haven't changed that much, Goldilocks."
Asher laughed softly and sat down on the bed. "Perhaps not, mon ami." He sighed unnecessarily as he reclined against the pillows. "I am tired, Richard. I do not miss how we were treated when we served Belle-Morte, but I do miss how everyone accepted and knew their places and roles. I wish Anita would realise how holding her long line of rules is hurting us all---especially mon corbeau."
"She will."
"She hasn't realised it in Nathaniel's case... or in Micah's case," Asher pointed out. "Nor has she realised it in our cases."
Richard shrugged. "I like to have faith in her."
"Me, too, mon ami, but it is waning."
The werewolf turned his head and looked at the other man. "Really?"
Asher frowned. "I do not like to admit it. Please, do not---"
"I won't tell her," Richard promised.
The vampire reached out and touched Richard's arm. "Merci, mon ami," he murmured quietly before pulling his hand away and letting it land upon Willow's shoulder. "I feel terrible about how events have been affecting our witch," he admitted. "I knew that her relationship with Anita was tentative at best, but I did not know things were so difficult. The nightmares cannot be helping, either," he added, referring to the dreams she'd confessed to having about Anita and others killing her. "I failed her."
"She hid how she was feeling."
"Still, mon ami, I failed her," Asher said on a sigh. "I am her master. We are bonded four ways. I should have noticed. I---"
"I should have, too," Richard said. "She's my lupa."
"We will aim to do better?"
"Yes," Richard replied, sounding firm in his conviction---until he looked to the vampire and quietly asked: "Right?"
Asher smiled a bit. "D'accord," he agreed. He leaned down and kissed Willow's shoulder. She made a quiet noise in her sleep and wriggled a bit; her movements aroused Richard, who groaned quietly and closed his eyes.
The blond man chuckled. "Ah, she is a temptress."
"And you are an instigator."
"I cannot help my nature, mon ami."
"Maybe you should."
Asher smiled more and shrugged. "D'accord," he agreed without argument. "I will try."
When the Master of the City stepped into the room, Anita behind him, both men looked up to witness what Asher assumed Richard, too, believed was a shocking sight. Anita's cheeks blushed when her eyes met Asher's curious gaze but she didn't say anything. Jean-Claude sat easily upon the bed and when he drew close enough, Asher inched away from his human servant to give his master access to the witch so he could continue to make amends through the comfort of contact. Richard grunted but allowed Jean-Claude to take Willow into his arms. As they transferred Willow from one to the other, Asher watched as Anita sat awkwardly on the foot of the bed.
"Anita?" Richard asked quietly.
She frowned. "I don't know what I'm doing here," she admitted quietly.
"You're here," Richard said. "That's what counts."
"Under duress," she muttered.
Asher and Jean-Claude sighed.
Richard pushed on and started to ask: "If this was Ronnie---"
"We're not cuddly!"
Willow whimpered in her sleep. Jean-Claude pressed a kiss to her forehead and murmured in quiet French. Asher sighed again and adjusted his position so he could rest against Jean-Claude's body.
"But, if she needed you, you wouldn't shy away from her," Richard reminded Anita. "We're not asking you to be best friends. We're asking you to relax and to open yourself up to something that could be strong enough to protect everyone under our care."
Anita frowned. "You... you... why are you saying this?"
"Because I'm exhausted, Anita. Aren't you?"
"Mostly, I'm... so uncomfortable," Anita admitted.
Jean-Claude raised a hand. "Ma petite, please do not upset our precarious quiet. We have talked and I know we will talk some more. However, now is the time for acting. Join us and help us help our fifth."
Anita frowned again. She sighed and relented, though. She carefully inched towards the four and put her hands on Jean-Claude's calves. Asher inched down so his head was at the black-haired vampire's waist, so he could offer Anita a hand. He smiled when she brushed her fingers against his and then they moved in tandem so they could find comfortable positions curled around the others.
"It is not so difficult to love and be loved, is it?" Asher asked the necromancer.
"No... but I... don't know what to do or feel or---"
"You are here, with us," the blond said, interjecting quietly, "and that is what matters right now."
Anita sighed and nodded. Asher pressed a kiss to her shoulder and then reached out and patted Jean-Claude's hip. While his faith had been waning, it had been temporarily restored in that moment. He did not know how long it would last, but he knew he was not going to question the gift they had been given.
TBC…
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii, overall
PAIRINGS: All the pairings from the previous two stories---and some new ones, too
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the whole TV series for the Buffyverse; Alive at Last and Living Underground.
WARNINGS: A little bit of fur... bdsm... the usuals for Anita's crazy, crazy world.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone---except for any original characters that I whip up to do my bidding ;)
NOTE: This story is a sequel to Living Underground.
Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-11, 12, 13, 14-5, 16-7, 18-9, 20-1, 22, 23, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43-44, 45, 46
PART FORTY-SEVEN
When the blond vampire returned to the bedroom, Willow was sleeping under Richard's watchful gaze. She was partially lying on the Ulfric's body and for a moment, despite the exhausting conversation held between himself, Jean-Claude, and Anita, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to press his body against that of his human servant to kiss the alpha werewolf. He shook his head, as if to physically dislodge the thought from his mind, and then removed his slippers so he could approach and climb onto the bed.
"What's up?" Richard asked quietly.
"Anita has decided that Jean-Claude is too attentive to Willow's needs for his interest in her to be only one of friendship."
"She's right."
Asher glared at him.
Richard lifted one hand in a defensive gesture. "I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying she's right. She thinks it's wrong. She's the one with the problem with it."
"Why are you so enlightened all of a sudden?" the vampire asked suspiciously.
The werewolf snorted. "Why do you always question me when I say something that might make our lives easier?"
Asher smiled. "Because it does not sound like you, mon ami."
"Maybe it's a shielding problem," Richard admitted. "But... it's exhausting to be the one fighting all the time. I'm stuck here---I could be miserable, or I could do my best to enjoy it."
"I do like that you're making an effort."
Richard smiled a bit. "I love Willow and Anita. They love you and Jean-Claude. I can't fight this and win."
"Do you object to mon corbeau's feelings for Willow?" Asher inquired.
The Ulfric shrugged. "Sometimes... a little. I don't... like the idea of the two of them together. But, I can't see him breaking Anita's rules and I don't know how Willow feels about him... and... and... Anita doesn't love us any less because she loves Micah and Nathaniel. Why would Willow be any different?"
"If I thought you would enjoy the advance, I would kiss you right now," Asher said with a smile.
Richard scowled. "I haven't changed that much, Goldilocks."
Asher laughed softly and sat down on the bed. "Perhaps not, mon ami." He sighed unnecessarily as he reclined against the pillows. "I am tired, Richard. I do not miss how we were treated when we served Belle-Morte, but I do miss how everyone accepted and knew their places and roles. I wish Anita would realise how holding her long line of rules is hurting us all---especially mon corbeau."
"She will."
"She hasn't realised it in Nathaniel's case... or in Micah's case," Asher pointed out. "Nor has she realised it in our cases."
Richard shrugged. "I like to have faith in her."
"Me, too, mon ami, but it is waning."
The werewolf turned his head and looked at the other man. "Really?"
Asher frowned. "I do not like to admit it. Please, do not---"
"I won't tell her," Richard promised.
The vampire reached out and touched Richard's arm. "Merci, mon ami," he murmured quietly before pulling his hand away and letting it land upon Willow's shoulder. "I feel terrible about how events have been affecting our witch," he admitted. "I knew that her relationship with Anita was tentative at best, but I did not know things were so difficult. The nightmares cannot be helping, either," he added, referring to the dreams she'd confessed to having about Anita and others killing her. "I failed her."
"She hid how she was feeling."
"Still, mon ami, I failed her," Asher said on a sigh. "I am her master. We are bonded four ways. I should have noticed. I---"
"I should have, too," Richard said. "She's my lupa."
"We will aim to do better?"
"Yes," Richard replied, sounding firm in his conviction---until he looked to the vampire and quietly asked: "Right?"
Asher smiled a bit. "D'accord," he agreed. He leaned down and kissed Willow's shoulder. She made a quiet noise in her sleep and wriggled a bit; her movements aroused Richard, who groaned quietly and closed his eyes.
The blond man chuckled. "Ah, she is a temptress."
"And you are an instigator."
"I cannot help my nature, mon ami."
"Maybe you should."
Asher smiled more and shrugged. "D'accord," he agreed without argument. "I will try."
When the Master of the City stepped into the room, Anita behind him, both men looked up to witness what Asher assumed Richard, too, believed was a shocking sight. Anita's cheeks blushed when her eyes met Asher's curious gaze but she didn't say anything. Jean-Claude sat easily upon the bed and when he drew close enough, Asher inched away from his human servant to give his master access to the witch so he could continue to make amends through the comfort of contact. Richard grunted but allowed Jean-Claude to take Willow into his arms. As they transferred Willow from one to the other, Asher watched as Anita sat awkwardly on the foot of the bed.
"Anita?" Richard asked quietly.
She frowned. "I don't know what I'm doing here," she admitted quietly.
"You're here," Richard said. "That's what counts."
"Under duress," she muttered.
Asher and Jean-Claude sighed.
Richard pushed on and started to ask: "If this was Ronnie---"
"We're not cuddly!"
Willow whimpered in her sleep. Jean-Claude pressed a kiss to her forehead and murmured in quiet French. Asher sighed again and adjusted his position so he could rest against Jean-Claude's body.
"But, if she needed you, you wouldn't shy away from her," Richard reminded Anita. "We're not asking you to be best friends. We're asking you to relax and to open yourself up to something that could be strong enough to protect everyone under our care."
Anita frowned. "You... you... why are you saying this?"
"Because I'm exhausted, Anita. Aren't you?"
"Mostly, I'm... so uncomfortable," Anita admitted.
Jean-Claude raised a hand. "Ma petite, please do not upset our precarious quiet. We have talked and I know we will talk some more. However, now is the time for acting. Join us and help us help our fifth."
Anita frowned again. She sighed and relented, though. She carefully inched towards the four and put her hands on Jean-Claude's calves. Asher inched down so his head was at the black-haired vampire's waist, so he could offer Anita a hand. He smiled when she brushed her fingers against his and then they moved in tandem so they could find comfortable positions curled around the others.
"It is not so difficult to love and be loved, is it?" Asher asked the necromancer.
"No... but I... don't know what to do or feel or---"
"You are here, with us," the blond said, interjecting quietly, "and that is what matters right now."
Anita sighed and nodded. Asher pressed a kiss to her shoulder and then reached out and patted Jean-Claude's hip. While his faith had been waning, it had been temporarily restored in that moment. He did not know how long it would last, but he knew he was not going to question the gift they had been given.
TBC…