diversified | Blessed by light and burden of shadows. [ closed ]

Entry tags:

Blessed by light and burden of shadows. [ closed ]

WHO Shannon Vaughn (

privatematter), Eli Delacroix (

aspectional).
WHAT Eli is an idiot; Shannon is curious. How exactly does D/s go down when you're not to the Having Sex stage in the relationship yet?
WHEN Late 1990. Seven months after Jumpscapades.
WHERE Shannon's place.

Shannon was anxious. Not in a bad way, but the anticipatory way that everyone got when something new and exciting was going up and there was no way it could go badly, but predicting the end outcome was almost impossible. It was a great feeling, but one that left Shannon feeling like a teen heading out to prom instead of a grown man getting ready to have fun with his boyfriend and potentially make some hilariously heartfelt gestures to express his trust in Eli. That was probably something he didn't do enough in general, actually.

Breakfast had been something simple. Pancakes, fresh cut fruit and sausage. Eli had come over pretty early to get ready, talking over the generalities of what they were going to do while the specifics were to wait for after they were done. Well, now they were done and sitting on the couch, and Shannon's leg was jiggling even under the hand he had placed on his knee to keep himself still. Lacey had wandered off after breakfast, stomach filled with her own food and presumably was napping on the foot of the bed in Shannon's room. Probably for the better, really.

"So," he said, ignoring the obvious tell he was giving off. If Eli took it for misapprehension, then Shannon was going to definitely lean over and smack him. "Where do we start?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The sections to their relationship was why it worked. There were times and places for all different kinds of expressions and they fit well into all of them when they arose. Actual possessiveness in the context outside their D/s roles would probably not be something Shannon would stand for.

Shannon pulled in a sharp breath as the first clamp was released, a whimper escaping where he couldn't catch it against the unexpected rush of blood moving back to the deprived nipples. He kissed back lightly, but was still a bit distracted by the fading sensation that he hadn't anticipated, and only remembered to pull his shirt back down moments later.

When Shannon whimpered, Eli smiled and did his best to keep himself from doing more than just kissing. Being this close to Shannon didn't help and he did move away a little bit to try to get himself on track. Shopping now, scene later. He could be patient and wait until they got home before doing anything else. For now, he was going to behave.

"Now, I think it's time for me to grab a few surprises for you," he said with some amusement as Eli started to lead him elsewhere in the store so that he could pick up a few things and add them to the pile. He wasn't going to keep them a secret up until he used them on him since that would just be somewhat mean. He'd show him when they got home and he'd explain what they were for. Until then, they were going to be a secret.

"Surprises?" asked Shannon. He used what he could to try and determine what Eli was choosing, the smells and sounds and even displacement in the air and what positions they were at. There were a lot of ways to identify an object without seeing it, except Shannon was at the disadvantage of not knowing what sort of stock was carried in a store such as this one. "Anything as interesting as that harness?"

As it was, he didn't bother asking what they were. After all, there was going to be the entire car ride back to Eli's place to poke around. If that didn't work, then Shannon could certainly pretend to be patient.

"Maybe. You'll just have to wait and find out," he said in a sly tone. He knew Shannon was going to poke around when he got the chance and was honestly expecting it, knowing how curious his boyfriend got when somebody waved a surprise in front of his face. Eli was smart enough to know how to make sure Shannon couldn't succeed and make him stop for at least a few moments or be stealthier about it.

He stopped a couple times to examine a few things and put them in his pile. Everything he picked up was something that Shannon could possibly be interested in at least trying out once before deciding against using it again. Eli was starting to get a good grasp on what Shannon would and wouldn't like by now, so he was confident in his choices.

Shannon tutted, trying not to shift awkwardly while he wished to rub at the sore spots lingering in wake of the clamps. That would only spur Eli on more and Shannon figured just the presence of the clamps and his teasing earlier had already done that. No need to add to the pile when they were already well on their way.

"You know how I am about waiting." Actually, Shannon wasn't particularly poor at letting things come as they did, but when it was infinitely more fun to be impatient... then, yeah, screw waiting. He wanted to know what Eli was up to and he was going to give it his best shot finding out before Eli revealed the surprise himself.

It would definitely spur Eli on more and probably end up with him being dragged somewhere more private. Get Eli too worked up and any patience he has would be gone completely. Like with the rest of his emotions, Eli was pretty easy to get worked up and could definitely get pushed too far on accident if they weren't careful. Thankfully, he wasn't quite there yet.

"Oh, I'm very well aware of how you can be." Sure, Shannon could be patient, but it was like Christmas with bondage gear and whips and wax. So not really much like Christmas at all, but the point still stood. If Eli ever thought about it, he'd say that Shannon got his desire to poke his nose into things from his time at the police department, but he doesn't. "We won't be taking very long. We're almost done here and then we can drop this off and move on to the next stores."

It was a fine line to tread, teasing Eli without pushing things too far with how volatile his emotions were. Shannon had walked the line for quite a few years now and knew when to press and when to let up, because he actually did want to finish their shopping spree before they continued on and actually did something with the toys they were buying. Shannon would deal for now and let Eli to continue leading until he was satisfied they had all they needed.

"What are we getting at other stores?" he asked. Even if Eli was going to be coy, maybe he could form an idea about it.

If it was anybody else dealing with Eli, his volatile emotions were something to worry about. Thankfully, Shannon was well trained in both keeping Eli stable and drawing him back down to normal after he had worked himself up. Which was definitely something Eli was glad for in a situation like this because of his problems controlling his own emotions.

"You know what we're getting at the sex shop and at the last store, I'm getting you a custom made collar. Same guy who did my collar, though I don't think I've really let you check it out yourself," he said cheerfully. Eli was definitely happy about the whole situation and couldn't wait for them to move on to the other stores.

That was how Eli was, and how he always would be. Shannon knew it and it didn't bother him, neither did helping him to deal with keeping himself in check if anything ever got to be too much. That was what friends did, and that wasn't going to change no matter how they had redefined their relationship.

"Custom made?" It wouldn't be unfair to say that Shannon was intrigued. Collars were just collars, although obviously some concessions had to be made to make ones that fit humans instead of pets. What exactly did getting one custom entail? "We should fix that later. Now you've got me curious."

"Yeah, custom made. You can buy collars at a store like this no problem," Eli said as he led Shannon over to the collars and gave him one to examine. It'd be easier to explain it here instead of while getting it so that he could work on getting a good collar figured out at the other place. "What I want for you is something a bit unique, so I'm asking the guy who made mine if he could make you yours. Which is why I'm bringing you with. He wants to meet you and see if he'd be willing to make one for you."

There was a soft chuckle and he grinned. "Oh I'll let you check my collar out later once we get home. We've never had time for you to examine it since I haven't subbed for you yet, but I'm not going to wait for you to actually Dom me to get to check out my collar. That's just silly."

"I'm sure my usual amount of charm should be sufficient to convince this guy I'm on the up-and-up," he said confidently. Shannon held the offered band of leather and let his fingers turn it around while tracing the form and material. This was more or less what he expected, something functional without being overly weighed down by anything silly like tags or adornments. He roamed around the inside of the collar and tried to imagine what it would feel like to wear it, a slight frown of thoughtfulness on his face as he did so.

It was difficult to get the idea in his head. He simply shrugged and returned the collar to where he had heard Eli remove it. "Is it? I'd believe it: something forbidden that subs shouldn't get to see until they've reached an appropriate point with their Doms. If ever." Shannon was pretty sure that something as personal and culture-forming as the D/s scene would be filled with superstitions and old wives' tales. Something like seeing a bride on her wedding day or walking under ladders, but about leather and whips and all that. "What are you thinking for my collar?"

Edited 2014-05-17 03:43 (UTC)

"That's not it. He's just picky about who he'll take on as a customer. Just be yourself and he'll have no problems with you," he said with some amusement. Eli wasn't planning on telling Shannon just yet how he got his collar and how he was able to be taken on as a customer by that guy. He watched Shannon study the collar and reached over to put his hand on Shannon's, not wanting to stop him, but instead just putting his hand there lightly.

"It's not like that at all and besides, it's the other way around for us. I'd be the sub in this situation and you the Dom. Besides, the collar is something that binds the Dom and sub together. It's not something one should hide from the other." Eli leaned against him once more and rested his head on his shoulder. "Count yourself lucky. You're the first sub I've ever collared."

Shannon tilted his head in acknowledgment to the hand resting on his, but didn't let it deter him. "Now, are you saying that because you're my boyfriend or because I'm actually a pretty cool guy?" He already knew the answer, but there was no reason for him not to tease about it. Seeing as Eli was already going to take him, he had no worries about being picked up as a customer.

At the weight of Eli, Shannon shifted his now-free hand back around his waist. It fit nicely there and he liked that they could be so close, so openly. "The very first?" he asked, some questioning tone clear in his voice. With how quickly Eli had suggested it for himself and Shannon, he didn't really have a frame of reference for it as anything other than something that happened once it was clear that the Dom and the sub worked well together. "Don't avoid my question, either. That's just going to make me even more curious."

"None of the above. There's a fire inside you that would definitely peak his interest and it has nothing to do with your Aspect." It was that fire that had drawn Eli to him and it would definitely work in Shannon's favor for becoming a customer and getting the collar Eli so desperately wanted for him.

"The very first. For me, collars signify a permanence that I didn't want with anyone other than you, so I never ended up collaring anyone in this way before." Shannon was going to learn very quickly that Eli was different from other Doms and had his own way of doing things, especially when it came to established things like collaring. "The basic shape is going to be pretty plain, but I want a nice natural brown collar for you with a design burned into it that would make it uniquely yours. Since you want to be Ash, I'm thinking a phoenix would do nicely for you."

"If it had nothing to do with my Aspect," Shannon said, not at all offended, "then you probably would have used something else to describe it." Not that he minded. Despite it linking him to the likes of Nate, it linked him with the much more pure aspects of cleansing flame, nothing able to withstand the roaring power and overwhelming tenacity for long.

Considering that, Shannon nodded slowly. It was no secret that Eli had been madly in love with Shannon for ages before Shannon had returned the thought, at least consciously. With that sort of commitment and passion for something Eli didn't even know might happen, Shannon couldn't imagine any other serious relationship lasting very long beforehand; Eli was quick to fall under sway of his emotions, but he wasn't fickle. "Not much for settling down before this?" he asked. "Whatever color you think looks good. Phoenix, though... I like that."

"It's a useful description and a rather common one as well," Eli replied with amusement. To him, it was the best way to describe Shannon despite the fact that it fit with his Aspect. He doubted it would change even if he wasn't the fire Aspect since it appeared that much a part of him than the Aspect seemed to be. "Would you prefer if I said you had a spark in you?"

Even before he had met Shannon and fallen in love with him, Eli hadn't been one to be in a relationship and while his emotions tended to flit between whatever suited his fancy, his true feelings were far more stable and tended to be harder to change. "Not really. I didn't see the point before," he said with a light shrug. "I thought you'd like the phoenix. It suits you."

Shannon grinned, hand squeezing at Eli's side to match. "Sparks are good. Reminds me of someone I know," he teased. Although Shannon was very much unlike the dragon god Nate, he still had much of the scientist Admiral Silverman in him back before existence had consumed him. It was the true core of their soul underneath the corruption, and the type of person Shannon hoped to remain for as long as he lived. "You might have heard of him. Smart, sassy, full of wit and sharp as a tack. Gorgeous voice. Too bad I've heard he's taken."

From where he was leaned up against Shannon's shoulder, Shannon tilted his head against Eli's. "Always there, never changes, lasts through thick and thin. Yep, sounds like me. Wouldn't that take a while?"

"Really now? Doesn't sound like anybody I know," Eli said, a teasing note to his voice. He obviously knew who he was talking about, but would definitely play with him with this. "Did I detect a hint of disappointment in your voice? I bet you're jealous somebody got to him first, aren't you?"

He liked the closeness and sighed contently, moving his head slightly to nuzzle Shannon, sneaking in a couple kisses as he does. "Of course it sounds like you. It's why I suggested it. Don't worry about time though. I've got it all planned out."

"Who wouldn't be? Guy's a total catch," Shannon continued. He nudged Eli just slightly to get them moving again while they were talking. His curiosity and interest in what Eli had planned outweighing his wish to stick around and tease forever. "Too bad you've never met him. You'd get along."

Shannon huffed against the kisses, returning them every now and again before simply holding them there. "Of course you do. You're always so prepared when it comes to this stuff. It's like you don't get tired or something."

"Now you're making me jealous," he replied with a mock pout and started to walk at Shannon's insistence. Eli wasn't planning on staying here for too much longer, wanting to grab one more thing before they left. "I don't know. Anybody who could make you fall for him wouldn't be somebody I'd get along with."

Eli was pleased by Shannon's response and made a soft noise of approval at it. "Oh, I get tired, but you've got to wear me down first. I've got a lot of stamina, if you didn't notice."

"Who said I fell for him?" asked Shannon, affronted. "I'm already happily involved with someone else. Namely, you. I don't know how that works since I'm already talking about you, but that's what happens when we get into these silly hypothetical conversations. What have we got so far?"

Eli's reply only received amused laughter in response. "I'd not only have to be blind, but deaf and dumb to have not noticed that, Eli." It had been especially noticeable the week previous when Eli and Michelle had kept at it so long that Shannon had fallen asleep on them well after they'd already gone an entire round. "I meant for getting all this stuff ready."

"Of course you fell for him. You fell for me, didn't you?" He laughed softly at the confusion. "You'll find out soon enough. Don't need to poke your nose into things now."

There was a soft snort that escaped him and he just looked over at him. "Well, I didn't know for sure if you did or not since you fell asleep. Now I know otherwise," Eli replied easily. "And I know what you meant. My answer's still the same. I've got a lot of stamina plus the desire for you to really enjoy what we're going to do."

"Thought you said you'd never heard of him." For all the fun they were having, Shannon shook his head. That was enough of that kind of off-the-wall for now. "But I want to. I do it so well, you know."

Shannon rolled his eyes for the effect, whether or not Eli was actually looking at him to appreciate it. It was all about presentation. "Hard not to notice even if I wasn't conscious." His head dipped to the side to show that he understood the statement. "The reward pays off in the end?"

"I know you want to, but that doesn't mean I want you to. Besides, you'll like it more when you find out and are able to immediately play with them. Think of it like Christmas," he said with a grin. Eli wasn't going to let him successfully poke his nose in. He was too good for that.

"Is that so? I'm hoping that's not a complaint I hear because I can't exactly change that," he said with a shrug. He was, after all, the closest thing to a human battery and had the energy to prove it. "Mmhm, it definitely does, which makes it all worth it."

"I was always terrible at Christmas," Shannon said idly. "My parents always had to hide the presents up on the shelves I couldn't reach or I'd shake them and figure it all out that way. Got 'em good with it one year, too."

"Complaint? No. Just hoping you can deal with your boyfriend not being nearly so... lively," he said, brows quirking up at the word choice. He couldn't deny how things had paid off at the end every time they'd done it so far, aside from the obvious part where it had gone terribly for a while. They had plenty of time to make up for that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 22 of 41

Blessed by light and burden of shadows. [ closed ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject