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[talkative]

Text | Call | Video | In-Person | Wildcard*



*Don't limit yourself, live your best life! Or unlife. As it be. The difference is mostly the breathing, you know? You don't have to smell really gross stuff as much anymore because you don't need to breathe in unless you talk. But then again some people can achieve a better sense of scent and then talking in smelly areas becomes really unpleasant and now if you don't think that's a problem then I don't know what your priorities are.

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Re: action

[maximumcake]

Max follows close behind without needing to be told. He knows the drill by now. Once he's sure they are in and alone, he cuts right to the chase.

"Jackie, I know you and Lord Akeldama have spoken. And, I know he knows you're my master. You said you wanted me to tell you before I'd let another vampire feed from me. So. I... want to let Lord Akeldama feed from me. Please?"

[talkative]

The impulse is to say yes and no at once. Yes, because Akeldama seemed to respect them as an equal, inasmuch as is possible with their age difference. No, because... do they ever trust another vampire? No. Definitely not.

And they did promise Max, and Akeldama might just be the easiest...

Hm. How about. A grin plays over their lips and then they gesture to the sofa, having occupied the only armchair themselves. Only when Max has sat down, they speak. "How do you feel about us inviting him over for ...tea, so we can work on this arrangement together?"

[maximumcake]

Max sits himself down primly on the sofa, hands clasped nervously in his lap. But he perks up at the idea. Tea and a chat? Yeah, that would be good. And maybe they'd be drinking something else too...

"Yes! I mean. I think that sounds like a great idea. We could all three of us work out something agreeable, right?" Frankly, Max is just happy it's not an immediate no.

[talkative]

"I should think so.

And perhaps begin to put it in action straight away. If..." They hold up a hand, pausing the moment, and then with a flourish producing one of Max's consent cards and then tossing it to him.

Yes, they kept at least one. "Tell me what applies."

[maximumcake]

Putting it in action right away is exactly what Max wants. Heat rises in his cheeks, tinting them a lovely shade of pink. But confusion blossoms alongside the blush when he catches one of his own kink cards.

What? He reads it over, though he doesn't really need to anymore. He has it memorized.

"W-well... um, biting? Right? Maybe being held down? Or restraints? I mean, those are usual suspects with feeding aren't they?" He isn't quite sure where Jackie is going with this.

[talkative]

"Check on the first, and with me there certainly is a check on the third as well, it's true..."

The pull their legs towards themselves so they can tuck their heels under their butt and rest one arm across the knees, tilting their body forward so they can put their chin on their arm.

"So, the nature of my bite aside... Tell me. What is a vampires - not just my - bite to you?"

[maximumcake]

The same thought is coming to mind now that occurred to him before while speaking with Akeldama. He'd been tempted to dismiss it then. But now...

What is a vampire's bite to him? He taps the card with one finger. Really. This should have been obvious all along, huh?

"Kink. Is that what you're getting at? Being fed on is a kink for me?"

[talkative]

"I'm under that impression, yes." They tip their head to the side slightly, lowering their eyelids, watching Max. "What is your impression?"

Because in the end, the trick is to get into Max's mind. Concepts and ideas aren't even half as effective when they don't feel like a person's own thoughts to them.

[maximumcake]

Max sits back and thinks about it a moment. "I guess it just... never crossed my mind before. I always thought it was part of the, you know, biting kink. I do love that. But... it's a little different too. When it's an actual feeding."

Common sense might argue that a person shouldn't want to have their life force drained away. The thought of someone drinking them (possibly to death) should spark fear. But it doesn't. Not for Max. So... how else can he explain it?

"Okay. So. What if it is? Is that bad?" Maybe that's a dumb question to ask a vampire, especially one who benefits from said kink.

"I mean... I don't know what I mean, actually. But this might make a lot of things make more sense now."

[talkative]

"Is it bad...," they tut, "...he asks."

They rock back, onto the small of their round back so they can in one fluid motion pull their feet out from under them and when they roll up stand in the same movement, coming to lean forward lightly as they stand. Which makes it easy to walk over to Max with two more steps and lean down in front of him, looking directly into his face from only a few centimetres away while the rest of their body is still at a good distance.

"I assume you are familiar with the concept of safe, sane and consensual?"

Jackie is fairly sure that the answer is yes, but better lay the foundation of what they're talking about firmly.

[maximumcake]

Okay. Yes. Stupid question.

Max fidgets in his seat as Jackie stands and then leans closer. Already the proximity is getting him a little heated. Which... man if this is a kink it's a strong one isn't it? He doesn't even dare to blink with Jackie this close.

"Uh... I've read the pamphlet about it? That Daniel wrote?" Max did read it, despite how unsure he sounds answering Jackie. He'd even read it more than once. But never had he made the connection until right this minute.

"I guess this would apply?"

[talkative]

Jackie, noticing the man's reaction, feels their point made and takes a step back to give Max some space. This is not the kind of conversation where they want Max to think with his dick.

"How would it apply?"

[maximumcake]

"Um..." now comes the part he struggled with. Because he did read the pamphlet, but some of what it says doesn't line up quite right with his experiences so far. And, as he trusts Daniel's expertise on this, that makes he previous experiences... wrong, in some regards. Makes his Master wrong. That's not always easy to reconcile, even now.

He looks up at Jackie with the distinct feeling of being quizzed on a lesson he didn't study, but he makes an attempt. "Because... um. Well. Maybe it doesn't...? I mean. We both know I have uh... trouble with consent sometimes. I don't know..."

[talkative]

They're very tempted to ask sometimes?, but that wouldn't be true - Max manages, when prompted and handheld and not unduly aroused. Which sadly (or, luckily, depending on whom you ask) doesn't apply when he'd most need it.

Instead of the sarcastic question, Jackie thus takes a soothing, comforting tone. "And that is why you have me. Both to help you think about it ahead of time and to guide you when push comes to shove. You can't do this alone, and you don't have to - that's why you aren't alone, right?" They move around, seating themselves next to Max and turning so they can face him. "I'm here for you.

...now, let's try and go through each item separately, shall we?"

[maximumcake]

Jackie may not say it out loud but Max can almost feel the thought in his bones. Yes. He knows. He's hopeless. But he's gotten better! -ish.

When Jackie settles beside him, taking that soothing tone, Max feels his defensive hackles smoothing down. It's true. They have been here, practically holding his hand through all of this. If not for the vampire, he would still be out there now horribly unaware of what he was doing or the impact it might have on not just himself but others. Jackie is what a Master should be. They protect Max, from without and within. They guide him. They haven't steered him wrong yet.

"Yes. I really would be lost without you guiding me. I can't thank you enough for your patience and understanding." If it were anyone else, this would be the part where he leans in for a hug. But he knows better, so he squashes down that urge.

"Okay." He blows out a big puff of air and sits up straighter. Ready for his next lesson, Master. "I'm listening."

[talkative]

"Safe." They holds up one finger. "How do you know that you will survive a feeding in relatively good health?"

[maximumcake]

Ah yes. That's um. That's a good question.

Even as Max goes to say the answer, he can hear for himself just how bad it is. "I have to trust that whoever is feeding on me won't hurt me..."

Or, he can employ self-defense maneuvers if they do start to hurt him but that's... iffy at best. In the case of a bite like Jackie's, he can barely see straight when under the thrall of it, so fighting back isn't going to be possible. So, yes, it comes down to trust and good faith.

Or. He has to have someone else there to make sure it doesn't go too far.

[talkative]

Jackie will just... sit there. Raise an eyebrow. And give Max a pointed look.

And raise his eyebrow a bit higher when the time stretches on. "A penny for your thoughts?"

[maximumcake]

Max turns an embarrassed shade of pink. God. It's humiliating. Jackie doesn't even need to say anything. Max knows exactly how stupid he sounds already. The longer the pause, the more hot his face grows.

"... I'm just thinking about how many times I've offered myself to a vampire who is a complete stranger to me. And how dumb that was..."

He sighs, harshly. "I'd let myself be completely helpless and no one would even know if something happened."

[talkative]

The reach out with one finger, turning Max's face towards them, making sure they have him looking at them before agreeing and continuing the thought: "We would only find out after the fact. Find you after the fact. Because we would come looking for you.

Me.

Rowan.

Lucas.

But we might be too late, because you were helpless in the moment and did not take precautions so such a situation would not arise."

[maximumcake]

As Jackie invokes the names of his loves one by one, Max feels the bottom drop out of his stomach. His eyes are wide when they look upon his master, and sparkling with the moisture of fresh tears.

Jackie's words sink deep. They would come to find him. They all would. He can't forget that. He has people here, friends and lovers, who would look for him and be devastated to find...

No!

He can't bear to do that to them. He'd never forgive himself. He can't... he can't be so reckless now. He told Lucas not to get himself in trouble. Yet, Max hasn't been setting a very good example. He tries to jerk his chin down, no longer brave enough to look Jackie in the face.

"I... I don't want to do that to you."

[talkative]

Jackie lets Max's chin drop, let's the silence stretch on for a moment longer - but the two fingers, light as a feather but insistent with strength that surpasses what one would expect someone of Jackie's physique to have, press under Max's chin and bring his face back up to look at the vampire once more.

"Then let us find ways so it surely doesn't happen?"

[maximumcake]

There's one small moment of resistance, where Max doesn't want to lift his face, but the strength behind Jackie's touch is undeniable. As much as the strength of their words. Max's eyes still glisten, but no more wetness spills over.

He's latched onto Jackie's offer. Yes, he wants to make sure! He knows he can't resist his craving. He still wants to offer himself by the neck to Akeldama, and possibly others. But he doesn't want to be foolish about it now.

"Please..." he begs, "I just want to find a way. I'm not... I don't mean to..." he fumbles for the right way to express this.

"You are a good Master to me, Jackie. You take care of me. And you teach me. I'm lucky to have you because you look out for me, just like this. But I... I miss being fed on while I... while someone... touches me more than you can..."

He takes a quick sharp breath, then hurriedly adds, "I like what we do too! I do. I swear. But I just... I want something different sometimes too." His eyes search Jackie, pleading for them to understand and not be offended by this admission.

[talkative]

Jackie keeps themselves perfectly still as Max talks, throwing a quick nod or two in somewhere halfway to make sure that Max knows that they are listening but otherwise not reacting in any shape or form.

There's too much there to react to for them to show any of it, really.

But Max has a point. A point that Jackie can understand and, in the end, feels like he can safely acknowledge. They will have to keep a closer eye on Max now that most vampires in Ain around aren't from their own world, making it harder to guess how they will act around Max and what their ideas towards him might be. But... they do also need to find safe outlets for this desire.

And one, luckily, is very fashionable and seems to be agreeable to accepting Jackie's claim on Max.

They should be able to work something out...

"As with the cards, I feel like the way to make it as safe as possible is to agree ahead of time - in this case on whom you do this with, and under what circumstances. And let me vet them. ...or let us do it together. Would Akeldama be agreeable to you?" His second thought is Nelli, but they've just never spoken to her about Max so they aren't entirely sure what her thoughts are. They haven't really had a lot of dealings with Anarchs so there are some unknowns about the individual level, too. "We could see if he wishes to ...broaden the horizons of taking tea."

[maximumcake]

Max feels like he could vibrate through the floor as he waits for Jackie to consider. How will they take this? What will their answer be? It's such a relief to hear them offer Akeldama as a solution. This is what Max hoped for from the start.

"Yes," Max nods eagerly. "He would. And, um, he's already said some things to me that make it sound like he'd be interested in doing just that." And Max had to hold himself back from jumping on it prematurely.