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Scott was splayed out on the couch, one arm carelessly tossed across it while he aimlessly played something on his phone. The front door opened with a click, the call of a cat responding sleepily from somewhere in the apartment. Scott's boyfriend walked in, a slight stumble in his step. His purple eyes were surrounded by faint dark circles, dark hair rumpled. He was halfway though toeing off his shoes when he noticed the vampire on his couch.
Avid blinked, gaze meeting fond red eyes. "Scott?" he asked, voice incredulous "What are you doing here?".
Scott smiled, fangs pushing through the expression "Just missed you" he crooned affectionately; not admitting that he had just gotten bored of waiting for Shelby to come back again and slipped into Avid and Drift's apartment instead. From Avid's fond eye roll, he probably saw right through it.
"Shelby and Drift have date night tonight" Avid pointed out, not unkindly, placing his backpack atop the dining table. Scott winced at the thump it made against the wooden surface. They had enhanced strength, sure, but carrying something that heavy could not be comfortable.
Avid sighed at the loss of it, removing the small charm around his neck, his appearance melting into his familiar demonic form. Blackened skin crawled up his side, lopsided horns emerging through pale hair. His tail became visible, swishing sluggishly through the air. Carelessly tossing his disguising charm - Scott hoped Abolish didn't see that - Avid curled up on the couch beside the vampire, dropping a quick kiss to his cheek before cuddling into his side.
Scott moved his arm to wrap around Avid's shoulders, leaning his head against him gently. "How were classes today?" he asked, making sure to keep his voice low. Avid's demonic ear flicked, as sensitive as ever, his tail matching the movement. His boyfriend grumbled, nuzzling closer "My lecturer hates us" he complained "I want to kill her so bad".
Scott kisses his forehead sympathetically "We can't" he reminded gently. He knew that Avid had control of his instincts, had worked hard to tame his bloodlust, but it was good to be reminded every now and then. Avid just hummed, scratching at the back of his hands absently. Scott carefully pulled his hands away before he could accidentally break skin, holding them between his own. He knew that Avid found the illusion magic uncomfortable, like small bugs crawling across his skin. The residual feeling was never pleasant either. Unfortunately a necessary sacrifice to keep up human appearances; lest Abolish's organisation step in again. 2008 had been a nightmare.
Scott gently trailed a clawed finger over blackened skin, an attempt at being soothing. "Shall I draw you a bath?" he asked cautiously. A century ago such words would have never left his mouth, unless as a sarcastic quip. Something he would never do for another. He was a Goldsmith, he had servants at his beck and call, he wouldn't dare lower himself to serving another. Not even his sire had gotten such respect from him.
That was before.
Now, dual-toned eyes light up as Avid smiles, shining like polished jewels. His tail starts to wag, thwacking against the couch with muffled thumps. Scott hates to admit that the small, vulnerable part of himself would do anything for him. Would gladly rip out his heart in offering if it meant Avid would keep smiling at him like that.
"A bath sounds amazing" Avid sighs, and who is Scott to refuse him? The vampire picked him up, the half-demon yelping at the sudden movement; quickly wrapping his arms around Scott's neck to balance himself. He carried him to the bathroom despite Avid's chiding, only letting him back on his feet when he locked the door behind them.
"I can walk on my own" Avid grumbled with no heat, moving to turn on the faucet. Scott let him, with his colder body temperature, it was hard to tell what would be deemed too hot for Avid. Turns out demons ran warm. He made quick work of discarding his clothes, carefully folding them atop the sink counter. Avid offered his own garments without fanfare; their bare bodies a familiar sight by now. Avid knew that Scott hated leaving clothes lying around.
By the time he was done neatly placing them in a pile, the tub was halfway full. Avid - the impatient thing - was already clambering inside, tense shoulders unwinding at the temperature, a quiet sigh escaping him. Scott laughed softly, grabbing the bath salts and shampoo his lover hadn't bothered to take with him, placing them on the porcelain edge of the tub.
Dual-tone eyes watched him lazily as Scott climbed in as well, sprinkling bath salts into the water. The subtle smell of roses permeated the air. "Your favourite" Avid pointed out sleepily, smiling at him. They had hardly started, yet the half-demon looked completely relaxed. Gaze half-lidded, tail contentedly swishing through the water, doing Scott's job of mixing in the salts. The tension he always seemed to carry melted away. The sight warmed Scott's unbeating heart.
"Thanks for doing this" Avid said softly, smiling that smile again. The one that made something in Scott's chest clench. He was beautiful.
There were a million things Scott could have said in response. 'Of course. I love you. I would do anything for you'. The words stuck in his throat, a lump that two centuries hadn't managed to remove just yet. "C'mere" he said instead, gesturing clumsily, his other hand reaching for the shampoo bottle.
Avid gladly moved towards him, a purr rumbling through the water. He draped himself across Scott, nose nuzzling the underside of his chin. Scott felt a responding purr build up in his chest, stilted and unfamiliar, but still there. There was a time he had thought he couldn't do it anymore, that his years had taken it away from him. The first time he had done it in front of coven, an answer to Drift's casual embrace during a random movie night, Shelby had cried. He would have too, if he could.
Scott wasn't sure how long he had remained wrapped around Avid, matching purrs rumbling through their intertwined frames, but he eventually remembered the shampoo bottle clutched in his other hand. He leaned back, ignoring the whine Avid let out as he moved away.
The vampire shushed him softly, placing a gentle kiss to his lips "Let me take care of you" he said quietly, lathering shampoo onto his palm, claws burrowing into white locks as he began to carefully massage it around, fingers deftly slipping between strands, avoiding the jagged edges of dark horns.
Avid's purrs rose in volume, the half-demon going near boneless against him. Shampoo and grime rubbed against pale skin, but Scott didn't mind so much. Not with the enchanting sight before him stealing all his attention. Concentration focused on nothing but comforting the precious thing he was allowed to care for.
Avid's arms were clumsily wrapped around his torso, his face buried somewhere in the vampire's neck. Scott trailed a hand down, tracing the demon's spine, finding the end of his tail. He gently pulled it towards him, massaging shampoo into the small tuft of pale fur at the end of it.
Almost immediately it slipped out of his hands, landing in the water repeatedly as it wagged, splashing them both with water.
Avid giggled softly at Scott's offended huff. "Sorry" he mumbled tiredly, skin brushing against his lover's shoulders "Jus' made me really happy. Couldn't stop it".
Scott rolled his eyes, starting to wash out the shampoo with gentle hands, making sure to keep the water away from Avid's face. "I'd prefer if you could be happy without making a mess" the vampire grumbled, unable to stop a small smile from slipping through when Avid laughed again.
The half-demon tightened his hold around him, cuddling closer with a quiet sigh. Scott wondered if Avid would ever tire of purring, the sound a constant when they spent time together. He hopes he doesn't. The gentle vibrations of it wrapped around them in a comforting embrace, the audible sign of Avid's happiness, the utter content painting his expression; surrounding Scott and warming him to his core.
"Can I wash your hair too?" Avid asked sleepily, nuzzling into him slightly. Scott shook his head, smiling down at his lover "You don't need to" he said gently "I'm taking care of you today".
"Mmm.. okay" Avid hummed, pressing a kiss to pale shoulders "Next time then". Scott poured one last bowl of water onto his head, trailing clawed fingers through white strands. He poured some oil onto his hands - rose scented, of course - massaging it gently to blackened skin, starting at his horns and gradually moving downwards.
Scott smiled as Avid shivered slightly in response, his eyes closed in a peaceful expression.
Scott opened the drain stopper, continuing to rub the oil as the water level slowly lowered. Soon the two of them were seated in an empty tub. The chill of the air didn't affect the vampire at all, but the half-demon in his arms shivered just slightly.
Dual-tone eyes opened lazily, pupils expanding as they slowly regained clarity, gaze locked on Scott. Avid grinned, reaching up clawed hands to hold the vampire's face, pulling him forward for a sudden kiss.
Scott blinked "What was that for?" he asked. His face felt warm.
Avid shrugged, smile bright "You're cute" he said simply.
Scott huffed, looking away. His cheeks were surely pink, judging by how much Avid was giggling. The demon crawled out of the tub, untangling from their embrace. He retrieved two towels from the rack, black for himself, red for Scott. Drift's yellow and Shelby's pink sat cheerfully beside them.
He wrapped himself up quickly, offering the other towel to the vampire now washing out the excess soap in the tub. When Scott didn't take it, more focused on his task, Avid simply reached forward and wrapped the towel around his lover, pressing a kiss to his shoulder as Scott hummed a response.
"I'm taking my clothes to the laundry pile" Avid informed him, poking his head into view, dual-toned eyes wide "Join me in the bedroom?".
Scott nodded, putting away the shower head "I'll finish cleaning up here" he told him. It took an irritatingly long time to put back everything they had taken for the bath. Between the four of them they somehow managed to have two completely separate organising systems between both apartments. Honestly, they should just move the whole coven into one building at this point. For his sanity.
His annoyance completely faded as he finally crossed into the bedroom, the sight of his boyfriend cuddled into the blankets removing the little tension in his shoulders. Avid looked up when he entered, smile bright. He opened his arms, another purr starting up in his chest when Scott slipped into his embrace.
Avid was wearing one of Scott's sweaters, the soft material rubbing comfortably against his face as the vampire cuddled closer, arms wrapping around his partner, vulnerable in a way few got to see.
Avid dropped a kiss to pale hair, laying his chin atop Scott's head in an affectionate gesture. If vampires could sleep, Scott knows he would have dozed off by now. The familiar smell of roses and something uniquely Avid filling his senses, warm arms wrapped around him, surrounding him in unbridled affection.
"I love you" he said quietly, the words still clumsy in his mouth. He would get used to saying them one day. To Shelby. To Drift. To Avid.
His lover smiled down at him, tail swishing through the air in a content motion "I love you too" he sighed softly.