olden times for Tommy

[oohforeshadowing]

The great country pile isn't their speed, really.

Double had their lovely house in London, bought and paid for by their adoptive father - a High Fae of some high regard, who'd been fretting about their lands and accounts falling into strangers' hands when he passed on. It was a heartrending story, of course, and Double was...well, positively delighted to be anything the old man wanted them to be. For the right price.

Shapeshifters have long since had a bad reputation for sliding into the upper echelons this way. They hadn't been in penury to begin with, by any means, but 'lovely house in London' money and 'vast estates with mining wealth and hundreds of rate-paying tenants' money is not the same by some order of magnitude.

The old man died peacefully in his bed, well over a century old, and left the manor house and everything that went with it to their sole heir. Who is going to sell it all, eventually, but it feels tasteless not to even let their 'father's' body grow cold.

They move in after the last of their furniture has been transported, and lets the housekeeper give them the tour. They cut quite the figure: long blond hair pinned up in curls, a jacket and blouse tailored tightly to a corseted waist, the snug high-waisted breeches favoured by most males. Their tail is the most exposed part of them and the woman they're following keeps eyeing it like she's not sure if it's obscene or not.

"...show you the stables, your grace," she says, as she walks ahead to the outbuildings.

"Ah. I suppose we ought."

Comments

[bleak_midwinter]

He holds out a hand, and when they take it he pulls them in closer.

"It's no great surprise, I agree. It's still a disappointment. A setback. Are you sure you want to continue?"

[oohforeshadowing]

"When I can be sure that nobody will get hurt," they say. "Nobody human, anyway. Then I want to continue."

They lay their head on his shoulder.

"...I don't think I really took seriously, how much...responsibility I would end up having, here."

[bleak_midwinter]

He puts his hand on their head, fingers sinking into their hair.

"There are many, many people dependent on you and your decisions. It can be a lot."

[oohforeshadowing]

"It can."

They glance up at him, long ears twitching lightly. Even though they've discussed this before, in theory, it's a little more difficult to ask for it in the moment.

"That's why I was wondering if you could....take over? For a while?"

[bleak_midwinter]

Somehow, he isn't surprised by the request. Their anxiety had been palpable his first visit, and the way they're leaning up against him now feels like a prelude.

"Of course. Here, or in more private quarters?"

[oohforeshadowing]

"My suite, I think. Unless you'd rather we keep to a guest room?"

They're still not entirely sure how Tommy feels about these dalliances, given his political leanings. It may very well be that their own rooms might feel like...too much, somehow.

[bleak_midwinter]

"Hmm. No, let's go somewhere you feel safe enough to let go."

He presses an absent-minded kiss to the top of their head, then steps away. He urges them to go with a hand on their shoulder.

[oohforeshadowing]

It's a small thing, perhaps, but it's so sweet and thoughtful that they just have to press a quick kiss to his mouth before moving on.

Their rooms have been redecorated since they moved in. The bed is vast, of course. Fae tend to favour heavy floral and botanical designs, which Double has chosen to reject altogether; the walls and soft furnishings are relatively plain, although the quality is evident.

They close the door behind them.

"I, ah, have a few things I need to veto altogether before we begin."

[bleak_midwinter]

"Of course," he says - though he does take off his jacket, folding it over his arm while he waits for them to tell him. They've gotten quite adept at communicating these things, which makes this easier.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Please don't slap me in the face or put your hands around my neck," first off. That's easy. The next is a little harder, and they avoid eye contact. "I, ah...I do quite enjoy being insulted, but nothing like 'bastard'."

The specific slur against their parentage, is what they mean.

[bleak_midwinter]

He reaches out to briefly touch their shoulder.

"That should be done quite easily, Double. Is this the kind of scene where you'd want to be insulted? Or would you like to be taken in hand and guided somewhere?"

[oohforeshadowing]

"...I'd like to forget everything except you, and this room," they say. "How that happens, I'll happily leave in your hands."

[bleak_midwinter]

"Then I suppose you'd better tell me if there's anything else before I ask you to take your shoes and jacket off."

They're wearing way too much.

[oohforeshadowing]

"No...sir?" they say, and then realise that this is perhaps something that's best confirmed. "May I call you that?"

They're already unbuttoning their jacket.

[bleak_midwinter]

Oh. He shivers at that, feeling his stomach clench with arousal. At the end of the day he's still human, and Double is a Realmer. One of them faking him sir is going to affect him.

"You may. Put that aside and come here," he tells them, gentle enough but obviously firm.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Yes, sir."

The relief in their voice is unmistakable. They do as they're bidden, draping their jacket over a stool, and approach him with eyes slightly downcast, in much the way of a servant approaching their master.

[bleak_midwinter]

He reaches out to run a hand through their hair, and very slightly pulls on it to tip their head up so he can kiss them. They've kissed plenty of times and it's obvious now that he's taking a little more control even in this kiss.

[oohforeshadowing]

It's clear enough to make them shiver in undisguised pleasure, their body becoming just a little more slack, lips parted and receptive to him. After all the frustrations and complications of this last week it's such a balm to just...be as someone else commands.

[bleak_midwinter]

He pulls back and smiles at them, dropping his hand down to touch their cheek.

"Aren't you accommodating? So eager to please, pet. You look just like how I like your people."

In submission to him. He licks his lips and trails his fingers down over their face, chest, stomach, to finally settle between their legs.

[oohforeshadowing]

Pet. It's such a clear-cut role reversal, and for a second it's wonderful - and then it isn't.

They catch Tommy's wrist for just a moment, and make eye contact.

"Thomas." Beseeching. "I'm sorry, I like 'pet', but I don't - I don't want to be 'my people' today."

Their people are the entire reason they asked for this.

[bleak_midwinter]

He lifts his hand, and theirs with it, and kisses their knuckles.

"I'm a bit out of practice. Thank you for guiding me to what you need."

He puts his hand back in their hair and tightens it, putting pressure on the roots.

"No need to think about them, or anyone else who isn't me. Is there?"

[oohforeshadowing]

They seize in a breath, their whole body seeming to arch up a little, eyes fluttering closed.

"N-no, sir. Not at all."

[bleak_midwinter]

"Just me, right here, in this room. And you know what I want, don't you?"

He takes their hand again with the one of his own he still has free, and guides it between his legs. It feels crass, vulgar, too forward, but he thinks it's just the ticket.

"I want you. You, there just for me."5

[oohforeshadowing]

They bite their bottom lip, sharp teeth peeking out ever so slightly, and press their fingertips in against the warm linen. Not an aggressive grab, not a play for dominance - they just want so badly to feel him.

"I'll please you however you want, sir."

[bleak_midwinter]

"Good."

He smiles at them, then starts pulling on their hair. Softly at first, but the pressure is unrelenting - he pulls their hair back, exposes their throat, forces their mouth to drop open a little.

"Then get on your knees and get me hard. And don't think of using those teeth anywhere near anything sensitive."