marlowemuses | who could ever learn to love a...

Entry tags:

who could ever learn to love a...

39 Excelsior Place was the oldest house on the road.

In fact, 39 Excelsior Place was the oldest house in the neighborhood. Through the years Henrietta, Virginia had mostly kept up with the times. Old, decrepit homes were replaced with bright white houses and wooden fences. The convenience store went from locally owned to a chain. The schools got better. Wifi was available in almost every pubic place.

39 Excelsior Place did not keep up with the times. Crouching darkly at the end of the road, squatting fiercely in its dead end, the house was every bit the past it came from. Tall with gothic architecture, unwelcoming pointed gates, and black bricks the hollow eyes on its gray and white face. Huge windows were long covered with sheets, as had been most of the furniture. Once upon a time the house had been beautiful. Once upon a time, however, was a long time ago. In 2016, most people stayed away from 39 Excelsior Place. Smartly so. Its resident monster hated everyone.

Everyone except for its sole resident, elderly Mr. Greerish. Greerish said he had a family. Nobody ever game to visit so the monster called him a liar. Greerish placidly made excuses, such as They’re very busy and It’s been a while since we’ve caught up. Apparently Greerish had a favorite nephew: a baby when they last met. It had smiled at him once. No one else in the family smiled at him.

The monster called him an idiot. Greerish laughed and returned to his books. That was how they found the old man dead. With a pleasant smile and a book in his lap.

Fine. The monster didn’t care about Greerish anyway. It had only just begun to tolerate him. With his death, 39 Excelsior Place would be free of pests and the monster could hide away from the rest of the world until it eventually died. That was what happened to monsters. He’d read the old books Greerish kept so neat in the bookcase. They all ended the same. The monster was killed, burned, staked. The handsome prince got the princess. Or, in the monster’s personal interests, prince. Not that it mattered.

What the monster did not know was that there was a Will. A thing that had been executed by the local priest out of pity for old man Greerish. There was only one stipulation.

Everything I own, including 39 Excelsior Place, will be so inherited by my nephew, Adam Parrish.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"We catch the asshole that thinks they're going to mess with us."

Standing, Ronan wrapped his arms around Adam's shoulders to soothe him. "That's the first letter, right? Usually they leave a second one. Fuck, even if they decide to show up and try to set the place on fire, we can catch them then. When my dad made this house—... it won't catch fire. It can't."

Niall Lynch had dreamed up the perfect house for his family. When he discovered that his son wasn't exactly human? He'd put in extra precautions.

"Then we make sure they understand that trying to set fire to people's houses is fucked up."

Adam didn't get it. Not fully, but he decided that he was willing to trust Ronan's judgement. And if he objected to any of Ronan's ideas, he cross that bridge when he came to it. "All right. I trust you." Adam rested his head against Ronan's, uncertain. He'd never had someone to protect him before, and he wasn't sure how to go about this.

This was their house. They weren't giving it up. No matter what.

Ronan threaded his fingers through Adam's hair. He wasn't worried about catching a human, especially the one he suspected of being responsible. The worst part about it was having to interact with anyone else. But, this was not something they could let pass. Get bullied into selling the house? Fuck that.

"We need a plan," he said, still combing his fingers through Adam's hair. "To catch a crook. Where did you find that?" He pointed that question to Chainsaw, who cawed. "The front door? Okay. We set up something around the front of the house. I'll keep watch at night."

Chewing his lip, he considered, "Would dropping a box on someone work?"

"A box?" Adam repeated, laughing and relaxing a little at that. "You'd need a pretty big box. It's a little bit Home Alone."

Taking a deep breath, he kissed Ronan's cheek. This all felt unreal, planning to deal with his enemies with such utter confidence that they could. "And what do we do when we catch our crook? Have you got a plan for that part?"

"I'm not super great with plans," he admitted. "Maybe tie 'em up and toss 'em in the basement? Though then we'd have to feed them and that sounds like a pain in the ass." He gave Adam one last firm squeeze before stepping back.

"It probably depends on who is doing it, right? It's probably what's her face, but if it's someone else... guess we need to play it by ear."

Grabbing a glass, he filled it with water from the sink and took a swig. "Whoever it is, they won't hurt you. I won't let them."

Adam thought it over, putting away the last of the food, including his half-eaten sandwich. "I think we just need to scare them. Can you dream up a motion detector we can stick by the front door that will take pictures? Then once we know our culprit, we can show up in their bedroom in the middle of the night with you looking like some bloody, fanged, horrifying monster. Less cute than your actual form." Smirking a little and feeling better that he could tease, he slid back into Ronan's arms, reassured by his warmth. "I think the mood has been ruined. I'm going to find a book. Why don't you see about dreaming up a motion detector? And then we can just chill on the couch for a bit."

"So much for very important sex stuff," Ronan sighed dramatically, nudging his chin up so he could rest it on top of Adam's head. "We'll have to make up for it next time, I guess. And I'm not cute, damn it. I've made at least four kids piss themselves."

Motion detector... sure, he could probably do something with that. Breaking away from Adam, he headed into the living room to drape himself back across the couch, hands folded on his stomach. Sleep didn't come easily; it took him a good while to calm down, to really close his eyes and begin to dream.

When he woke up about half an hour later, it was with a sudden jerk and a small black box in his palm. Panting, he held it out to Adam, trying hard not to shake as he did so. Sometimes dreaming felt as easy as breathing, but mostly it felt like he'd run a marathon with no breaks. There was something he wasn't doing right, he knew, but it wasn't like Niall Lynch was around to teach his heir.

Adam wandered around while Ronan slept, browsing books. He'd some in the basement that had looked particularly old, so he went there, poking around until he found a heavy black book with ornate detailing on the cover. The contents seemed to describe either complex astrology or magic spells. Curious either way, since the book looked ancient, Adam carried it upstairs and settled on the couch, leaning against Ronan while his boyfriend slept.

Ronan twitched away, panting, and Adam also twitched, startled. He set the book aside, taking the box and setting it on top of the book. Both could wait. He could tell that Ronan was jittery after the dream, which seemed to be the norm, so Adam leaned down on top of him and kissed him to help ground Ronan and calm him down. Sliding his arms around Ronan's neck, Adam grinned into the kiss, feeling his heart swell with affection.

Ronan latched onto Adam like the boy was a lifeline. It was comforting to have someone hold him after he dreamed. Doubly so when that person was Adam. It soothed him, and for a few minutes he struggled to even his heart rate and ease himself down from the high of his dream. It hadn't even been a bad one, this time.

Relaxed yet drained, Ronan returned the kiss, subdued. When he pulled back he studied Adam's face. He had allowed the match to drop into the ocean and ignited the flames. Every inch of his soul burned for Adam. Tracing his fingers along the side of the other boy's face, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Did the best I could," he said after a moment, dropping his hand. "It'll take pictures of anything that moves. It'll work in the dark. I tried to cover every base I could think of."

"It'll be great, I'm sure." Adam nuzzled gently at him. His heart thudded from the way Ronan stared at him. It made him feel incredibly loved and cherished. He'd never imagined that anyone would gaze at him that way.

"Let's set it up outside and then we can relax and get started on our research."

Grinning, he dropped his head down, stealing another kiss, and then another, moaning softly into Ronan's mouth until he finally managed to pull himself away. "Okay. Okay. Focusing. Show me how the motion detector works."

"One more," Ronan begged, wrapping his arms around Adam's neck again to pull him in for one last kiss. Then another one last kiss. And then another one last kiss.

Once he was satisfied that he'd thoroughly kissed his boyfriend he sat up, blinking and trying to focus on the box. How did it work, again? Kissing Adam was distracting. "All right," he said, reaching out and taking it in his hand.

"Walk past me."

He held it up, "It should automatically take some shots and when you press this..." Running a finger across the top, he showed Adam a button, "It should print the pictures. I tried to dream it so that it won't take photos of anything that's not human. So no random squirrel selfies."

"I kind of love the idea of squirrel selfies," Adam said. He got up, walking in a few loops near Ronan to see how it worked with different angles, and then going to sit down so he could see the pictures.

"You're amazing," he said, grinning with pleasure at the magic of Ronan being able to dream up anything the two of them could wish for. "It's perfect, Ronan. And now we can..." Grinning, Adam reached for Ronan, then remembered that they still had another task, and aborted his gesture. "Put the box outside. Where it'll be useful. Before we get distracted. Again."

The pictures of Adam shot out from the side of the box. Glossy, clear squares, even with the lengthening shadows of the dying day. Clearly, the shots would be fine even in the middle of the night. Just as Ronan had wanted.

Looking up, he nodded, standing and heading for the front door. The box was small and unnoticeable, on purpose, so he just left it sitting on top of the mailbox. It would blend in with the shadows at night, and even if it didn't, no one would think it was anything but some random delivery. It was the perfect height to catch their prowler's face, should they come back.

Once that was done he glanced around and then stepped back inside, wearing a frown. Really, whoever left the note had some fucking nerve. Greerish had declined to sell the house as well but, as far as Ronan knew, the old man hadn't gotten any threatening letters.

"Done," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and staring out the window still, as though someone could still be prowling across the front lawn. "Now we wait and see who we're gonna go fucking scare. People are gonna start thinking you're a fucking witch at this point, you know. A raven and a cat, and scary shit happening to your enemies? Lucky we aren't in Salem." It was a joke, but it had a grain of truth. Adam... Adam was different. He didn't feel like regular people. That was, however, just Ronan's bias.

"Good," Adam said, lifting his chin. "Let them call me a witch. I'd like that. I'd like to learn magic. To protect us, and also just..." Adam leaned back on the couch, tilting his head up to the ceiling. "I'd like to have power." He closed his eyes, lashes fluttering at the thought, and then he got up. Crossing over to Ronan, he slipped his arms around Ronan's waist, leaning in for a kiss. They had their motion detector in place. Until something else happened, they had no need to bother with the world outside.

"Want to do some research?" Adam asked, brushing his nose against Ronan's and grinning. For the first time in his life he felt confident. With Ronan, he was free. He could do anything.

Adam's arms wrapping around his waist distracted him from his dogged stares out the window. Instantly he softened, leaning into Adam's weight and coloring just slightly when noses touched. Ronan liked it when Adam was confident—it was sexy.

"Okay," he said, sliding his arm around Adam's waist so that their bodes were pressed together. "But I'm not gonna touch that thing." That thing being the laptop; he'd look at it, but he still thought it was evil, so he wouldn't touch it.

"Where to?" The privacy of one of their rooms was better than hanging out in the living room, just in case some nosy person was lurking around outside. No one needed to see him with his dick out except Adam.

"My room, I guess." Lingering in a few more kisses, Adam finally squirmed out of Ronan's arms and went to grab his laptop.

Taking the power cord and the magic book as well, he headed upstairs, bending to plug in the cord. "Sit against the headboard, please? I'd like to sit between your legs and lean back against you, if that's okay."

Adam grinned at him, opening the laptop and setting it on the bed as he waited for Ronan to settle.

Adam's room. It was still... weird to have someone else living with him. When Greerish died Ronan had thought that that was the end of it all. There would be no one else. How could he have known that Greerish's favorite nephew would come?

Ronan followed Adam upstairs and Chainsaw cawed, swooping after them, refusing to be left behind again. Ronan rolled his eyes. Even if it was weird, Chainsaw was a bird. Not like she cared what they were doing so long as she got to be nearby.

When they reached Adam's room, Ronan grinned at the prospect of squeezing Adam between his legs. "Shit, I dunno. Doesn't sound like I'd completely love that at all." Throwing himself onto the bed, he did as Adam asked, pressing his back against the headboard and spreading his legs, waggling his eyebrows.

Adam smirked at that, crawling between Ronan's legs and turning so that he could kiss him. Tongue flicking out, he licked at Ronan's mouth, whining with longing. "Fuck, I want you," he groaned, fingers skimming up Ronan's chest to admire him. "I want you so much."

He tweaked Ronan's nipple, grinning happily at the ability to touch and be touched by someone who was his alone. "You're so damn hot, you know that?"

Ronan whimpered as Adam licked at his mouth, parting his lips and moving his tongue in return. Having someone touch him... fuck, having someone attracted to him. It was more than he could have dreamed on his own. Hearing Adam say he wanted him had Ronan unravelling quick, nudging his mouth up to messily meet Adam's lips in a hot kiss.

Pressing his legs together, he trapped his lover between them. The tease at his nipple made him gasp as he reached up suddenly to grab at Adam's waist, jerking him down in response.

"No," he moaned, biting at Adam's lips. "Tell me more."

"The first time I saw you like this," Adam said, nipping at Ronan's shoulder between sentences while his fingers traced teasingly around and around Ronan's nipple, "I wanted you. I'd never known my type before, and then you stepped out of your room and glowered at me..." Smirking, Adam bit down harder on his shoulder. "And something inside me went oh."

Adam licked over the spot he'd bitten, admiring the mark. Ronan had asked for more, so Adam just let himself talk, like he'd never done before. "You're the hottest guy I've ever seen. I want you so much I feel like I'm entirely made up with it, as if every fiber of my being is lit up with desire for you."

"Fuck," Ronan whimpered. Having Adam's fingers teasing over his chest, having his teeth sinking into his skin—it had goosebumps breaking out all over Ronan's skin, feathers desperately trying to break through his form again. His cock throbbed when Adam bit down hard on his shoulder.

Fingers digging harder into Adam's back, he swallowed, feeling way too hot and bothered. No longer able to help himself, one hand snapped so that he could grab a wrist, tugging Adam's hand up to his mouth. He'd had a love affair with Adam's hands since day one. Even if every inch of the other man was completely tantalizing, his hands? Still so, so sexy.

Which was why Ronan sucked on them. Bit the tips of fingers and sucked on knuckles, tracing kisses like a man in church, worshiping his God with the intensity only a devout could have.

"I want you too." Gently, he bit Adam's wrist, sucking where his pulse ran strongest. Fuck, he wanted Adam. Wanted to taste him again. There was so much he wanted and he had no idea how to begin again.

Adam's breath caught as Ronan started kissing and biting at his hands. He nestled close, watching Ronan with awe and trust as Ronan worshiped his hands. Shivering and moaning from time to time, Adam tucked his head against the side of Ronan's neck, struggling to keep any thought in his head. "Fuck. You have to stop distracting me. We have to research. Important research."

"I'm doing research," Ronan defended, licking between Adam's fingers and then tilting his head so that he could suck on them. He liked how Adam responded to his touch. Kissing messily, scraping his teeth against Adam's palm. God, Jesus Christ, he loved Adam's hands. He wanted them all over him.

Nuzzling his face into his lover's palm, he peeked over at him. "Okay. Work the thing, then." The thing being the laptop; Ronan would never be fond of it.

"You only need one hand for that, right?" Because Ronan wasn't done being endlessly affectionate with this one.

Adam moaned as Ronan sucked on his fingers. Quivering against Ronan's side, he bit at the side of Ronan's throat, whimpering. Ronan's teeth scraped at his hand and Adam's fingers splayed out, body bucking against him. "Sure, if I'm not being distracted," Adam said, breathless with arousal.

Hugging his free arm around Ronan's neck, Adam tugged him over. Flopping down on his back, he pulled Ronan on top of him, catching him in a heated, desperate kiss.

Ronan's attention left him tingling with desire, and he had no more hope of focusing on anything other than Ronan's body and Ronan's mouth.

It was all too easy to forget what they were originally going to do when he was pulled on top of Adam. Bodies pressed together, Ronan met that heated kiss with equal vigor. God, how long had he been starving for? Hungry, longing, and only Adam could satisfy him.

Adam being on top was good; Ronan being on top was good, too. It was easier to grind his hips down against Adam's this way. He only broke the kiss because his cock was getting hard again, an obvious point of friction between them. Breathing heavy, he rolled over onto his side and sprawled out like a large cat.

"Jesus. Okay, okay. Research."

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