~Wednesday 18th December 2013~
"One more day won't make a difference," Elspeth giggled, tracing the rim of his paper cup with the tip of his index finger, taking great pleasure in listening to Slate whine and beg. It was somewhat therapeutic to see the tables turned.
"I don't think that's getting your point across very well, beautiful," Elspeth sipped his tea, still not sure whether he was too partial to fruit variations.
"I could just make us stay, you have to submit to me, pet," Slate countered, brushing his leg up against Elspeth's under the table, adorning that sly smirk of his.
"But you wouldn't, keeping me here by force would be no fun," Elspeth broke off a bit of the muffin he was sharing with Slate, leaning over and putting it into the man's open mouth, "you wouldn't do it anyway, you wouldn't abuse your power like that."
"Maybe I would," Slate traced the lines on Elspeth's palm, "the thought of tying you up and having my way with you is quite an interesting one," Elspeth giggled, his eyes following the paths that Slate's finger took over his skin.
"You don't need to keep me locked up a state over to do that. You have your house and your playroom for that."
"Our house, pet, our playroom. You aren't just a lodger with me, pretty boy, you're my lover. What's mine is yours," Elspeth blushed, looking away as he smiled foolishly, wondering how it was that Slate's affection could still make him so bashful. He thought he had gotten used to the kind words and gestures but the man managed to surprise him with something new every day.
"You can't run from your friends forever, Slate, they'll come looking for you sooner or later," Elspeth watched people across the street, for once not wondering what their lives were like, not wishing for anything more than he already had. Everything was perfect, there was nothing he desired anymore.
"If I really wanted to run, Elli, even Rei wouldn't be able to find me," Elspeth wasn't too pleased about the thought, he didn't want to know all the hiding places Slate might have, "I wouldn't leave you behind, pet," Slate clasped Elspeth's hand, making the boy feel a thousand times less distant, "I wouldn't ever leave you behind, I don't think I'd last very long without my pretty boy."
"Not with the blue balls you'd get," Elspeth teased playfully, "since jerking off does nothing for you anymore," Elspeth giggled like a school girl when two elderly women tutted and tsked as they passed, glowering at the two. He had to actually cover his mouth when Slate turned around in his seat and scowled right back at the women, sending them skittering down the street with their tails between their legs.
"Scaring old ladies, Slate Rossman, you are a monster," Elspeth chided dramatically, smiling at the man's laughter. It was only brief, but it was genuine, and that made it worth every second.
"I'm thinking of going for a run when we get back," in the blink of an eye, the conversation changed, leaving Elspeth struggling to catch up. He had been drifting recently, slipping in and out of his mind, losing time. He wasn't sure how long Slate had been talking before he had realised, or whether the man had simply been silent. Elspeth hoped for the latter, he didn't need questions, he didn't have any answers.
"Eden wanted to see us so I thought I could drop you off there for a little while and join you after my run," Elspeth found himself staring down at his tea, suddenly nauseated at the thought of continuing to consume it, "Elli? Do you actually hear me talking?"
"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Elspeth shook his head briefly, a feeble smile curving his lips when he met Slate's concerned gaze, "that sounds nice, where are you gonna run?" Elspeth knew he wouldn't be let off the hook for acting so strangely, Slate would stop assuming and start asking soon enough. He just hoped he had an answer by then.
"There's a forest nearby the centre, they use it for outings sometimes but I don't think they'll be having any today. I shouldn't be longer than an hour, I just need to let him out, he's irritating me."
"He just wants attention," Elspeth shifted in his seat, tilting his head ever so slightly when the sun hit his eyes, "how about you let him out tonight at home? He might calm down if he's not leashed so tight all the time," Slate smiled warmly, offering Elspeth the last of the muffin they were sharing, having obviously noticed the boy glancing towards it.
"You have a soft spot for him, not many people would want to share their night with a restless wolf."
"If he's restless then I'll just tire him out. He's you after all, and I like him, he's fun. I have a way with animals, you always say I'm a magnet for life," noticing Slate had finished his coffee, Elspeth slipped his own cup into the man's, "it's not like I can only enjoy spending time with one side of you."
"Nobody ever cared that much," Slate sounded so forlorn, lost in his own mind like Elspeth often was recently. Elspeth sighed, rising from his seat and leaning down next to Slate to press a kiss to his hair.
"Let's go, I want to walk around the park across the street before we leave," Slate didn't move, didn't speak, Elspeth wasn't sure he even breathed, for a moment, "Slate?" Elspeth crouched down next to the man's seat but Slate still wouldn't meet his eye.
"I'll go pay, wait here for me," Elspeth stood, watching Slate wander inside out of sight. He chewed on his bottom lip, walking out onto the street and leaning against the low wall that lined the outside area of the cafe.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Elspeth rolled his eyes, not bothering to even grace Jesse with a second look. He had to be a serious stalker to have followed them all the way out there, then again, Slate probably wanted the protection, or had some job in the area. It would do Elspeth no good to speculate, it wasn't worth the migraine.
"What are you doing here?" Elspeth shifted to the side ever so slightly when Jesse perched on the wall next to him, keeping his distance with the boy.
"Not sure," Jesse mused, a cigarette hanging from his lips, making Elspeth feel a sense of smugness that his were so much thicker, how childish of him, "I was running yesterday and I just woke up around here. I can sense Slate all the time so, I don't know, I thought I'd come find him. Y'know, before you, he was never a 'coffee and a muffin' kind of guy," Elspeth wasn't willing to get into some petty argument with Jesse that morning, not when he knew the boy would somehow turn it around to make him look like the bad guy, "you made him soft, you ruined him."
"Will you just leave me alone, please? I'm not gonna stand here and be berated by you," Elspeth snapped, rubbing the back of his neck when the sullen ache twinged severely all of a sudden.
"When he loses his pack, it'll be your fault," Elspeth snapped his eyes from the trees across the street toward Jesse, finding he was already stalking away down the sidewalk.
"Wait!" Elspeth jogged after the boy, gripping his wrist, forcing him to stop. He had no doubt that was what Jesse wanted, that power over him, but he had to know if he was being truthful. Jesse faced Elspeth with a sly smirk that actually made the boy want to stub out that stupid cigarette right there in his eye. Elspeth shivered at his own ruthlessness, he had never thought like that before, it was awfully frightening.
"Why do you think he'll lose his pack?" Jesse cocked an eyebrow, taking an irritatingly long drag of his cigarette before blowing the smoke away from Elspeth. How considerate.
"Information goes both ways, if you want something from me, then I want something in return," Elspeth gritted his teeth, nodding curtly, "what did you tell Slate last night? We could all hear his fear from miles away, I want to know what you said to him. He put up walls, pretty solid ones too, but I saw your face before he could. I know it was you," fear? Elspeth knew he had to have expected something like that but hearing it aloud was difficult. His honesty actually scared Slate? Maybe he should have just kept his feelings to himself.
"I..." Elspeth knew it wasn't right, he knew he shouldn't be telling Jesse something so intimate, but he had to, for Slate's sake, "I told him I loved him," Elspeth forced out through clenched teeth, having to physically restrain himself from punching Jesse straight in his annoyingly perfect nose for laughing at him. Psychopath.
"Jesus, you really want to break him, don't you?" Jesse said through his hysteria, wiping away fake tears, an ugly sneer on his lips, "do you know who the last person to say to him was? I made the mistake of admitting how much I would have liked our little affairs to go further, got reprimanded by Slate for my feelings, but it was worth it to hear about his first love. He only mentions him when he's drunk. Hasn't he told you?"
"That's enough, Jesse," Elspeth flinched at Slate's voice behind him, peering over his shoulder to see the man scowling at Jesse, "go home, learn how to keep your mouth shut by the time I'm back," Elspeth felt Slate's hand encase his own, "let's go for that walk now."
Elspeth didn't protest as Slate guided him across the street and into the park he had been admiring. He didn't speak, neither of them did. Elspeth wasn't sure what to say. Did he pretend Jesse hadn't said anything? Did he inquire? Silence seemed like a good idea until he could figure something out. Silence wouldn't hurt anyone, questions would.
"I lied to you," Elspeth was a little taken aback when Slate spoke first, having expected to need a crowbar to get the man to open up about anything Jesse had suggested, "you're not my first boyfriend," Elspeth didn't bother looking up from the path as he and Slate walked at a leisurely pace, knowing the man wouldn't meet his eye anyway. He might as well avoid falling on his ass rather than failing at making eye contact.
"I don't care that you've had other boyfriends, Slate, I've told you before, your past is not my business."
"You'll care about this," Slate split from Elspeth, sitting down against a tree, secluded and far enough off the path that they wouldn't be interrupted. Elspeth intended only to sit next to him but Slate patted his lap instead, those big golden eyes of his pleading with the boy to just obey. Elspeth straddled Slate's lap, facing the man, his hands resting on his shoulders. Waiting.
"His name was Alvah, he was four years old than me, not just physically," Slate began in a soft voice, his thundering heart seeming to calm when Elspeth leant forward and embraced him, "I've never told anyone about him, not even Rei or Mal. I slipped up with Jesse once, didn't say much other than his name and how I felt about him," Elspeth felt Slate rest his chin on his shoulder, smiling feebly at the action, "he was a black wolf, so I suppose I lied to you about having only met one before too," Slate's breaths slowed, but Elspeth could still feel his hands trembling as they gripped his hips, "he made me realise I was gay, not that there was a word for it back then, and he was the first boy I ever loved. We were young, it probably wasn't even as serious as I think now, but in the moment, yeah, that's what I felt."
"Did he feel the same way?" Elspeth wasn't sure Slate was going to continue, he had been silent for almost three minutes. He didn't want to push him either, Slate had obviously withheld the information for a reason.
"Yeah, he did," Slate still sounded so miserable, although Elspeth shouldn't hope for anything else, you don't hide the stories with the happy endings, "we weren't together long, I suppose you could say it was just a fling, but it meant a lot to me," Elspeth sat up so he could see Slate, hating the sorrow he saw in the man's eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me? Did you think I'd be jealous or something? I'm happy for you, Slate, this should be a good memory for you," Elspeth's smile melted away as a tear streaked down Slate's cheek, "hey, don't cry, I'm really not mad or anything," Elspeth cupped Slate's cheek, brushing away the tear, his own misery rising as another fell in its place.
"You'll hate me if I tell you," Slate whispered in such a tone that Elspeth had never heard, so emotional, so agonising, "you'll realise how sick I really am, you'll leave me."
"Slate, nothing on this earth could make me leave you," Elspeth said firmly, cradling the man's face, knowing that, sadly, his words were having little effect.
"He was my half-brother," Elspeth frowned, not quite sure how to process that. Was that a human custom?
"What?" Elspeth wished he could have thought of anything else to say but he really was speechless. Slate had been in love with his brother? That wasn't exactly a revelation that the boy had had practice in comprehending.
"My mother had a child before me, with the alpha of a neighbouring pack. She hid it from my father but he found out in the end," Elspeth found himself crying with Slate, having not even noticed until he felt the wetness on his cheeks, his heart shattering at the sight of the man breaking down in front of him.
"Did you know before?" Slate nodded slowly, sniffling, his grip on Elspeth loosening until his hands fell away.
"You can leave if you want, I know it's wrong. I'd understand if you were disgusted by me."
"Slate, I told you, nothing on this earth could make me leave you. I love you, I'm not walking away," Elspeth pressed a tender kiss to Slate's quivering lips, "I want to hear the end of the story, why aren't you still with him?"
"My father killed him," more tears fell, the pace quickening, "he caught us together, he didn't even know who Alvah was, he killed him to hurt me. It's my fault he's dead. It's always my fault. Everyone I get close to dies," Elspeth, not able to find the right words to comfort Slate, merely held him, trying to stop himself from falling apart as he listened to the quiet cries of a broken man.
"Forget the run, I just want to lay with you in front of the fire tonight," Elspeth smiled at Slate across the car, watching the light reflect off his sunglasses, having never been in a better mood all his life, "you're staring, pet."
"I'm admiring, there's a difference," Elspeth drew his knees up to his chest, grinning at Slate when he chuckled, adoring that sound much more than the ones he had been subject to earlier that day.
"Really? And what would that be?"
"One isn't creepy," Elspeth giggled, covering his mouth with the collar of his sweater to muffle the noise.
"Don't do that, I like to hear you," Slate scolded, tugging the fabric away from Elspeth's lips, "that's my favourite sound, y'know?" Elspeth blushed deeply, staring out onto the road ahead for a moment before returning his gaze to Slate once again.
"Will you say it again, please? One last time, I won't ask anymore today," Elspeth pleaded, perking up in his seat.
"Pet..." Elspeth pouted dramatically, leaning over closer to Slate, pressing chaste kisses to his exposed neck. He should have kept his hoodie on if he didn't want Elspeth to take advantage.
"Please?" Elspeth whined, seeing the man's tether slowly unweave, knowing he was close to saying it, "I'll suck you off," Slate chuckled once again as Elspeth made short work of unbuckling his belt, but the boy knew not to go any further without permission.
"I don't think you're supposed to pay for it, pet," Elspeth merely continued to pout silently, rubbing Slate's cock through his jeans, feeling it harden under his touch, enjoying the man struggling to contain his own moans, "fine, but if we get in a car accident, it is so your fault," Slate looked away from the road, finally meeting Elspeth's eyes, if only for a fleeting second, "I love you, pretty boy," Elspeth beamed, that wonderful warm sensation flooding his body, stealing sweet kisses from Slate's lips as the man protested and growled.
"I love you too, beautiful," Elspeth crooned, knowing all of Slate's grumbling was just a facade, he was learning to love those three words just as much.
"You made a promise, pet," Slate tilted his hips up ever so slightly, returning his gaze to the road, "quickly, now, if we get pulled over, don't think I won't bend you over the cop car and spank your ass 'til you scream. I might even let the cop join in if he's into it."
"Yes, sir, I understand," Elspeth chose not to mention how much he would actually enjoy that, not necessarily the threesome, just the public side of the situation. Having talked to Theodore about his growing interest in being more open with Slate no matter where they were, the boy had informed Elspeth that, as a member of Matthew's club, there would be an obligation for the two to perform scenes in the showroom. Elspeth hadn't watched many before, since he and Slate didn't have a great track record with the club, but the ones he had seen were quite intense. He didn't want Slate mistaking his subtle curiosity as an invitation for something so severe.
Elspeth didn't get much chance to please his Master before a cop car actually did pass by them, making the two nervous. Slate promised more fun when they got home, and Elspeth was perfectly happy to wait until then. Although, luck didn't seem to be on their side that day. They didn't seem to be able to get much time alone.
"Stay in the car," Slate commanded as he pulled up in the driveway, having noticed the four girls sat on the porch, clearly not as welcoming as Elspeth would have been. Three of the girls looked a similar age, probably between twenty-one and seventeen whereas the fourth looked no older than three. Elspeth simply couldn't contain himself, and disobeyed a direct order, following Slate out of the car.
"Deaf, now, are we?" Slate chided, holding Elspeth's hand as the two walked up the drive, meeting the eldest of the girls, who seemed transfixed by the man, "may I help you?" Slate's tone was dry, sounding as bored as he usually did, a disinterested expression on his face. Whilst Slate focused on the girl standing, Elspeth looked behind her at the others, noticing the other two eldest staring at the man just as intently.
"Slate?" the standing girl whispered in a soft voice, tears forming in her eyes as an awestruck smile appeared on her lips.
"Yeah, do I know you?" Elspeth could see the scepticism in Slate's eyes, grinning to himself, proud that, for once, he wasn't the last one to realise what was going on, "you're not one of Leon's, are you?" the girl reached out with trembling fingers, obviously wanting to touch Slate, immediately sending the man into a more guarded mindset, "look, just tell me what you want, I don't have time for this today."
"And people call me slow," Elspeth murmured under his breath, giggling quietly when Slate shot a glower his way.
"Slate, it's Dyani," and there, the penny finally dropped, "I'm your sister."