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?"

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'm not surprised by that. Can't leave well enough alone until you get in trouble and even then it's doubtful that you'd stop." It's not something he's angry or even annoyed by. If that had been enough to do so, then they wouldn't be together still. "You'll find that I'm better at hiding things than your parents."

A huff of laughter was his first response at that. None of that mattered to him, though it would if Shannon expressed frustration with the situation. That would make him do something to change it. "If I couldn't deal with it, I would've said something already. I love you the way you are, silly."

"You'll find that I'm a lot better at finding things than I was when I was a kid, too," Shannon countered. It was like a game to him, and everything Eli planned to do in order to keep it from his reach was only more of a challenge. He didn't care if he won or lost, but truly hoped to play the game at all.

Stretching his fingers out, Shannon tapped at Eli's side. It was indeed frustrating, but it was something wrong on Shannon's end and he intended not to weigh his boyfriend down with that because it was also ridiculous. "You have to admit, you probably didn't anticipate me having the stamina of a dayfly compared to you."

"I'll take that as a challenge," he said with a grin. He was always up for a game with Shannon, even one as childish as hide and seek with different objects. It was fun and he always enjoyed the fact that it kept things from getting boring.

"Yeah, I did actually. I've got the highest stamina and energy output of all of the Aspects and definitely the highest out of the energy-types. Besides, you're fire and burn hot already, which makes sense if you don't have the staying power." Eli had been through Aspects 101 with Thomas back when they were training and knew of the different types of Aspects and how they branched off the way that they did. Of course, he'd definitely share this with Shannon if he was interested enough in it.

"Oh, you'd better," Shannon replied. One of the great things about them being together was that they didn't have to worry about seeming overly childish or unconcerned with important matters. "There would be no fun if you didn't take it seriously."

Shannon went quiet for a moment, paused and looked surprised. "We have tiers? God, that's confusing. Should I wait before I start asking about that?" Tiers of Aspects and what levels everyone found themselves on sounded like something of a mood-killer.

"And take the chance of losing to you because I didn't take it seriously enough? Never." Despite everything he had been through, there was still a bit of that impish child still in him and he was happy to share that part of himself with Shannon whenever the chance showed itself.

Ruffling his hair affectionately, he laughed gently, not at him, but at the confusion he had at it. "Yeah, but we can talk about it later. Now, let's go buy these things and move onto the next store, hm?"

Shannon merely shook his head, both to try and get his hair back into place and also to put himself back on track. If they were almost done with this store, then it was a hop and a skip away from learning what Eli had in store for him, and that was where his true curiosity lay. He nodded and gave Eli a nudge toward the counter while he and Lacey walked alongside him.

"Right, let's do that. How much are we looking at here?" he asked. There was no way Eli was paying for the entire thing on his own considering it would more or less be shared property.

"Oh you are not paying for any of this," Eli said as they got to the counter and he started to put everything down so the guy could ring everything up for them. "Think of this as a present. Which means I pay and you just accept it and pay for something for me in the future, got it?"

He didn't want Shannon to pay for it for more than that reason, though it was mostly because these items were a present for Shannon and there was no way that he'd make him help out in paying. Next time, sure, but not this time, especially since they were going to get him a collar and Eli didn't want him even thinking about paying for it.

With a large sigh, Shannon raised his hand in defeat and shrugged. He wasn't one to argue with gifting things, although it did rub him the wrong way to not pitch in on what he couldn't imagine would be anything but an extravagant purchase, bargain prices or not. However, Shannon now had permission to turn the tables on Eli at some point in the future and he was going to squirrel that away covetously until he had the perfect way to repay him.

"Fine, fine," he said. "Take note that I am not fussing here, so you're not allowed to fuss at whatever presents I get you in the future. Got it?"

"I'm taking note, don't worry. And I promise not to fuss when you decide to do the same to me in the future." That was perfectly acceptable and he'd deal with that when it came up. This was a special occasion and he wanted it to go a certain way.

The guy behind the counter seemed to get it and he rang everything up without much in the way of comments on what they had bought beyond an impressed "well, aren't you two creative" that got silenced when Eli gave him a sharp glare. Everything was placed in a bag and the price was given to Eli, which he didn't bat an eye at. It was on the higher end of the scale, but not ridiculously so and Eli paid it without issue. Grabbing the bag, he nudged Shannon and led him out the door.

Shannon gave a blasé wave to the man behind the counter, almost in thanks for the hint he had unwittingly given. It wasn't much of one, granted, but it was better than the radio silence on Eli's end and helped his curiosity spiral in somewhat more constructive ways. Speaking of curiosity, he still needed to get that guy's story, but Shannon had the feeling that they would be visiting again in the future. He would get his chance at some point.

"Next is mundane supplies," Shannon said, mostly to himself. Mundane meaning things they didn't have to buy at specialty stores because there was little mundane about buying supplies so he could have sex with someone aside from his significant other. "Why don't I hold that for you in the meantime?"

He'd definitely get the chance to talk to him in the future, if Eli's reaction while shopping was any indication. Eli loved even just looking around the store, seeing what new things were in stock and if it would be possible to incorporate it into his session, even if he didn't end up buying anything. It was a guilty please of his and something he would share with Shannon if he felt the desire to come along.

"Well as mundane as sex can be," he said with an amused tone. Mundane wasn't how they described any of it, but Eli didn't mind. That just meant it wouldn't be boring. "I think I can hold this myself and keep it away from curious hands."

Oh, Shannon already felt the desire to come along. This first visit had been his introduction to the store and things it had to offer; the more they visited, the more comfortable he would feel with the space and his interest would only grow. There would be time for that in the future. Shannon could certainly appreciate putting the work into a long-term project; he was quick on his feet, but not impatient enough to force gears into motion.

"Mundane compared to the stuff around it," Shannon amended obediently. Their entire existences were the antithesis to mundane, but they had to draw the line somewhere. "Curious hands? Why, they're helpful hands. I'm sure you'll have 'em full while you're looking for more toys. Or... collars."

They would definitely have to talk about that later. If Shannon had the desire, then Eli would indulge him and bring him along. He definitely wanted that interest nurtured and turn it into something even greater than it was now. That was going to be fun, but for now, Eli was subtly directing Shannon towards the next shop.

"I think mundane is the wrong word. Maybe vanilla's better." Since they weren't exactly in the same hemisphere as mundane, Eli thought it was best to go about this discussion from another angle. If anything, it'd be less laughable than what they originally went for. "Oh no you don't. This bag is staying with me and if you try to poke around, I'll drop it off at home before you could even blink."

Shannon didn't need subtle anything. They were moving and they were getting on with it, for which he was grateful because it meant the sooner they went anywhere the sooner they could get back to Eli's place and the sooner he could stick his hands and nose where they didn't belong for the sake of a catlike curiosity. Picking up what they needed at the latest shop wouldn't take long, but that wouldn't stop Shannon from looking for chinks in the armor for the hell of it.

"Aren't we just arguing synonyms now?" It didn't really matter to him. Condoms and lubes were just supplies, whereas everything else Eli had bought and planned to buy were toys and definitely of more interest to Shannon than the things he definitely already knew and understood. "Good thing I don't blink much."

Eli didn't like to control things outside of a scene, especially when it involved directing Shannon somewhere. He knew how Shannon was when people tried to assist him and Eli always did his best to not so that he didn't step on his boyfriend's toes. It wasn't something he wanted to control, especially after their first scene and how lost Shannon had been when he had stolen it away from him.

"Maybe, but it's better than arguing about real things, isn't it?" He liked the back and forth they had and looked to encourage it whenever possible. "Just because you don't use your eyes doesn't mean you don't blink, silly. Also I'm pretty sure you blink more than I do to begin with since you're overheated and dry out more."

Which was a good thing to keep in mind. Shannon didn't like being treated as a puppet or some helpless child who couldn't figure things out for his own and depended on his own sense of direction to maintain orientation and control. However, he was in a part of town he didn't recognize and anyone would need to be shown around if a friend had taken them there and there was no shame in following Eli's lead that way. It would only be objectionable if Eli had been trying to steer him or otherwise act as if Shannon couldn't keep up.

"True," he allowed. "Let's go with vanilla for now. You're right. Not exactly right about the blinking, though. Did you know wearing glasses makes you blink less because you have less getting into your eyes?" It was one of those stupid things he had learned just through gossip and observation of his own; while Eli was correct that he did need to blink about as much as anyone else, adding the glasses had helped him learn how to act more 'blind' if he ever wanted to mess with someone particularly badly.

It was an easy in and out to pick up what they needed at the next store. Not much for being particularly fancy, it was settled to go with some basics and let Michelle decide if she wanted anything fancy later for when she would come over. That done, they were already at the doorstep of the last store of the day before either of them realized it. Shannon had been good and not made any sort of grabs for the bags so far, but his quest had yet to be forgotten, either.

When they got to the final store, Eli opened the door and nearly immediately, the smell of leather hit them. He wrinkled his nose slightly and then walked in, leading Shannon in beside him. It had been a long time since Eli had been here, back before he had gone on his search for Jasper, and it was incredibly nostalgic to be back here after so long.

"It's a shop for leather jackets and bike accessories, not some sort of bondage store," Eli said outright as they walked towards the back. Unlike the other stores, it seemed incredibly normal, if a bit empty than most stores this time of day would be. "The guy who runs this place is part of the scene, so he takes on orders for collars and the like. He makes them all himself and they're high quality, which is why I'm bringing you here. Only the best for you."

They made it to the back counter and before Eli could even say anything to get some service, he's pulled away from Shannon by someone and only a surprised "ack!" is the response at first. What grabbed him was a rather cheerful drag queen, only taller than Eli thanks to her heels helping her out. She had him in a tight hug and he flailed slightly.

"It's been far too long since I've seen you, boy. Jay and I heard about what happened on the news and were worried sick about you. You're doing better aren't you?" She let go of Eli a little bit so that he could breathe and speak, eyeing Shannon the entire time. "And who is that gorgeous boy over there with you?"

"That would be my boyfriend and I'm fine. I've been busy with work and everything. Sorry I haven't gotten the chance to see you and the other girls lately." He paused for a moment before he realized that he was being rude. "Oh right! This is Jackie. She took me under her wing when I showed up at the club she worked at when I was younger."

The smell wasn't actually what Shannon was expecting. He didn't quite pause, but his head tilted and he let instinct take over for a moment while he worked around the scent to get to anything underneath or around it. It was a good smell, but things were always better in proper moderation and Shannon wasn't sure how he felt about it being on just the wrong side of overpowering. He could tell there weren't many people in the store, but made note of where anyone was by sounds of movement or breathing, simply idling about being more telling than most might imagine.

Despite the initial surprise at having Eli separated from him, the following reactions and conversation kept him from freaking out about it. Something about Jackie was ringing off to him, the tone of voice particularly, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Eli didn't seem distressed at all and Shannon knew him to have good instincts, yet... there was still something nagging at him. Shannon automatically nudged his glasses up despite Lacey more than likely ruining the illusion they provided, then held out a hand and offered a polite smile in order to display his own manners.

"Gorgeous boy-slash-boyfriend's name is Shannon, by the way," he introduced. "Pleased to meet you, Jackie. So I've got you to thank for keeping him out of some trouble back in the day?"

"And it's a pleasure to meet you," Jackie said with more than a hint of flirting in her voice. Sure, he was Eli's boyfriend and she was already taken, but that didn't mean she couldn't do some harmless flirting. "Oh honey, you have no idea. I met this little troublemaker when he was sixteen."

Eli pulled away from her with surprise and looked at her. She was not going to share his past in the scene with him. "You know, I'm right here and I stay out of trouble. Besides, we're supposed to meet Jay. Is he in the back?"

She gave him a smile and ruffled his hair like a mother would to her child. "He is, but he'll be out in a couple minutes. Needs his time to set up, you know that. And what do you want to hide from this boy of yours? I know it's serious or you wouldn't be here with him." Her attention swung back to Shannon. "You're the first boy he's brought to us for a collar."

Shannon tilted his head while he listened to the interplay. That handshake was not the handshake of a woman, no matter how well-calloused or otherwise built. His brows had furrowed halfway as he puzzled through that, then he let out a huff of obvious amusement. "Don't want to share any stories?" he asked, in tone but serious in meaning. "Come on, you know how much I love hearing stories. Especially from or about you."

"He mentioned that," Shannon noted. It didn't seem particularly noteworthy, as their seriousness had already been established in other ways before the collar—or, indeed, the D/s relationship in the first place—had even been thought about. That Eli had gotten the chance to express it this way was a surprise, but not that they intended for this to last. "Is there anything to it?"

That's because the hand didn't belong to a woman, Shannon. The drag queen it belonged to seemed to be amused at Shannon's quiet attempts to puzzle out what exactly she was. She didn't seem to mind at all and looked at Eli, who had moved back to Shannon's side and was now touching his arm gently.

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing," he said, his tone revealing how awkward it was to be talking about his past in the scene like this. "Not that it's going to stop you. Either of you."

He let out a sigh and Jackie threw up her arms. "Honey, if you're going to be like that, then why don't you go into the back and talk to Jay. He wanted to know your plans for the design before meeting your boy. Go talk to him and I'll stay here and not tell him anything too embarrassing."

The hand may not have belonged to a woman, but the tone of voice and scent and sounds all did. It was fucking with his senses in a way that didn't seem too dangerous and Shannon was currently enjoying letting the pieces all slot into place on their own time. Unlike the apparently nameless guy at the kink store, Jackie actually wanted to speak with Shannon and that was good enough for him.

"Yeah," Shannon agreed, head tilted toward Eli with an impish grin. "Go meet with Jay, leave the bag here, we'll just sit and chat for a while." Not that he expected that to work at all, but Eli still needed to know that Shannon hadn't forgotten about it. "Shoo. We'll behave. Scout's honor."

Ignoring for the moment that Shannon never had been, nor wanted to be, a scout. That much was obvious just from his bearing. Either way, there were going to be stories and there was nothing Eli could do to stop that.

"The bag's coming with me, but nice try," Eli said as he leaned in and kissed Shannon on the cheek, making sure the bag was kept away from him while he did. "Behave while I'm gone. And that's directed at both of you."

Jackie chuckled as Eli walked off and then turned her attention back on Shannon. She definitely thought he was attractive and was almost disappointed he was Eli's, but not too much since she was quite happy with Jay and didn't want to change that.

"Now what were we talking about before, collars?" She didn't give him much of a chance to respond, plowing on even if they hadn't been. "You're new to the scene and Eli probably hasn't told you this, but what he's getting you is comparable to a wedding ring. What you have is something he thinks will be long lasting and is definitely something he doesn't give out freely. You must be something special for him to do that for you, boy."

Shannon only made half of a grab toward the bag, switching partway to turn Eli's head and let the kiss turn into a peck on the lips instead. It wasn't exactly the most innocent of behaviors to start their alone time, but then again, no one was actually expecting anyone to behave here. Once Eli was gone, Shannon turned back to Jackie. His thoughts were fairly obvious across his face as his eyes roamed, stopped along with the rest of him, and narrowed as he processed the true significance of what a collar meant.

"I gotta be," he said after a moment, letting the information roll off his shoulders before it could tangle into an obsessive ball of frustration. It wasn't that complicated and Shannon was not going to let it become that complicated. They were together now, and Eli wanted to gift him something of that much import before they could even have sex together, and Shannon wanted to receive it. He let out a long breath, rolled his shoulders and—to his own surprise—started to chuckle. "When you've got someone who thinks the world of you, how can you not be your best so you don't disappoint? You're right, he didn't tell me. Guy doesn't want to believe it's real, wouldn't want to scare me off."

Then again, Shannon couldn't possibly speak to what Eli's true intentions were. There was a lot going on in that revelation that Shannon would need more time alone to his thoughts to comb through and, for Eli, there must be even more to it. Was he doing this with such symbolic intention, or did he expect it to be something between them that would mean only as much as he allowed it to? Either way, Shannon was not going to let him spook him. That sort of commitment had already been made the moment they first clicked together, when their kiss fell into place and it was right.

Edited 2014-05-26 05:24 (UTC)

There's a long moment where Jackie listened to him silently, absorbing the words and information they held. It was easy to figure out who Shannon was to Eli easily enough and she eyed him warily, knowing that he couldn't see it and unlike most people was smart enough to know that he was blind.

"You're the one he's been pining over for years." He dropped his drag persona voice, bringing it back down to its normal and definitely masculine pitch. "I would ask what's changed, but I don't need to know. What I do need to make sure of is that you're not going to hurt him more than you already have."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 23 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