Pre-Christmas Reunion (Repost)

[roman_courtois]

Note: This was originally posted to a locked community, but since it appears that the game may not be lasting -- and since the content is PG at worst -- I'm reposting it here for posterity. It was played out on Tuesday, December 23rd and Wednesday, December 24th, but all of it takes place on December 23rd.

---

WHO: Kent, Anna
WHERE: CSPC Lounge
WHEN: Tuesday, December 23, evening

What a welcome to Seattle; Kent had arrived in town just in time for snow and Winter Weather Advisories. Which wouldn't have been particularly bothersome if he hadn't been coming in from Louisiana, a part of the country that has never seen snow. Kent has, of course; before he taught at LSU, he was working on his Master's and PhD in Boston, and before then, his Bachelor's in Cambridge. But his blood has thinned considerably since those days. How he wishes he'd moved here in the early fall, so he could have grown accustomed to it... but of course, that hadn't been possible.

So he's quite bundled up when he enters the CSPC, and the place is relatively deserted. Most of the people who might have ventured out into the inclement weather are probably busy with family and friends and the holidays. Kent figures that it'll be a quiet night, a chance to learn his way around the place, maybe meet a few people, even have a nice dinner without ordering from the Chinese restaurant a block away from his apartment.

And maybe, just maybe, begin coming up with a plan or two.

But first, a glass of something hot from the lounge's bar is definitely in order!

---

aperfectlie 2008-12-23 10:23 pm (EST)

Anna had had some difficulty adjusting to the weather herself, and had needed to come up with all sorts of reasons and excuses for her family and friends back home as to why she'd opted to move here and subject herself to things like snow. There had been one "friend" she had tried to convince the most before leaving, but in the months she'd had to reflect on the issue, she suspects that both of them new it was a lie. Maybe it was time to call it quits and go home, but that didn't sound particularly appealing either. He had likely found a new submissive, one that didn't require sneaking around to visit or elaborate lies to conceal her existence. Could she handle seeing him with the sub that might or might not exist? Probably not, in all honesty, and it did make going home rather difficult. She'd even begged off of coming home for Christmas, a decision she was now regretting as she entered the club. She'd met some people here, scened with none, and was increasingly happy that that'd been the way things had turned out. Would any potential Dom have measured up to her expectations and needs? Would she have been able to offer herself in turn, and give them what they wanted? With every passing week, she was more and more certain that she'd been ruined for other men, let alone other Doms. Not seeing him at first, nor expecting him, she found a quiet, out-of-the-way sofa to relax on and have a drink. After a quick glance around the room, she'd spotted one man -- albeit from behind -- that could've passed as his double. There was a tug at her heart, thinking about what if it really were him... and knowing it couldn't possibly be.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-23 10:49 pm (EST)

Hot buttered rum isn't Kent's usual drink, but then, it had been a long time since he's felt this bonechillingly cold. He drinks it slowly, letting the glass warm his hands as he does, right at the bar, before turning around and taking in everyone in the lounge. Although hardly deserted, the place is definitely not up to capacity at the moment, and most of the people who are there seem to have grouped up, probably with close friends. Christmas music -- of the secular variety a la Frosty the Snowman and Jingle-Bell Rock -- is playing over the speakers, soft and unobtrusive. It makes him want to find his box of CDs and dig out the choral music, so he can listen to something like Gaudete! or O Magnum Mysterium instead. Of course, the last time he played those CDs, she was curled up against him... His breath suddenly catches as he spots the blonde woman lounging alone on a couch. He knows that dress; he knows that way she's reclining. It's as though calling her to mind has made her flesh. She's here. His heart twists, wondering if that means what he's afraid it might. After a month or so of silence on the old email account, he stopped checking it; finding the mailbox empty every time had grown increasingly difficult. So he really hasn't heard from her since the fall semester began, and for all he knows, she's found herself a new Master. For all he knows, she's put him behind her and moved on. You don't know that, he reminds himself. She could be here for the same reasons you are. So that she has a social outlet with people who understand her. It doesn't mean she's moved on. But she, unlike him, has had far more time to do so if she wished. Well, he thought that this was going to take a lot longer for him to find out... but at least, he tells himself, he'll know in just a few moments. There might still be time to book a last-minute flight to visit his family if this whole thing turns out to be a disaster. Turning back to the bar, he orders a pomegranate martini, certain that that much hasn't changed about her. He gets one for himself, as well. Then, with a deep breath, he makes his way over to her sofa. "Join me in a Christmas toast?"

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-23 11:08 pm (EST)

Before she can even turn to face him, that accent sends a shiver down her spine, her heart all but ready to leap out of her chest. Could it really be him? Her gaze drifting up to catch a glimpse of the owner of that voice, her breath catches. Oh. My. God. How? Why? God, does it even matter? Only able to nod at first, she's in such shock that she can't quite find her voice yet. Is he here with someone? How long is he in town? Surely, he can't be here to rescue her from what was quite possibly the most difficult decision she's ever had to make. And it was quite likely the worst one too, far too gut-wrenching to ever want to relive. Swallowing hard, it's another moment before she's confident her voice won't crack when answering him. "Yes please, Sir." As she moves over to make room for him, she hopes this isn't just a dream, and that she won't wake up curled up on the sofa by herself. She wants to throw her arms around him and hug him until he tires of it, beg him to stay here or take her home with him, and beg his forgiveness too. However positive and upbeat she's tried to be, it's not been the same without him and she longs for the chance to make right what she'd been so wrong about.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-23 11:17 pm (EST)

The expression on her face makes him suddenly oblivious to the cold weather outside, feeling as though he's never been chilled in his life. And that "Sir..." oh, hearing that gives him such hope. He sits down beside her, holding out the drink he brought her. At the very least she's not unhappy to see him, and it looks like she feels a lot more than that. How he hopes she does! I've missed you, he wants to tell her. I've missed you the way an amputee would miss his lost limbs. Nothing's felt right since you left. I just moved across the country and leased an apartment twice the size I need for myself because that's how much I miss you and how much I hope I can have you back. Hopefully he'll be able to get those words out, soon, but just looking at her, and seeing that look in her eyes, has left him speechless for the moment. But his eyes are already saying it.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-23 11:37 pm (EST)

Taking the drink he's offered, her voice is soft. "Thank you... Sir." It's been so long since she's been able to use that title, the last time having been with him as well, that it makes her want to use it as often as she can. Sure, it might signify respect, but the association and sense of belonging to someone isn't something that's escaped her either. I hope I can still belong to him, if he'd want me... and want that. There are so many possibilities and dreams that are running through her head, and she has to remember not to get ahead of herself. He could, she knows, be here to give her news other than what she hopes and longs for. It wouldn't be like him to go to elaborate lengths to torture her -- literally or figuratively -- but she's so out of her depth here that she can't figure out what to expect, or what not to hope for. Unsure what to say or ask first, she has to smile at the drink. Not surprised in the least, he knew that pomegranates were easily her favorite fruit, and pomegranate martinis her favorite drink. After enough of them, they were almost like truth serum for her. But it was also a reminder of their last night together, and what had happened. "I took it home with me," she pauses, need a moment to compose herself. "And I made sure to eat all the seeds." To a casual observer, it might seem that she's spoken in code, and that isn't too far from the truth.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 12:04 am (EST)

"You're welcome, Anna," he answers, suddenly wishing that they'd dared have pet names for each other. Some diminutive he could use now to signify how he still feels about her. But her name, Anna, is all he's ever called her, whether in the lecture halls or in his bed. It was the only safe way for them to do what they did. Now, though, it feels entirely inadequate. But if she'll have him back, he realizes, he can finally call her something other than just "Anna," if she wants. It takes him a moment to realize what she means. The pomegranate. He'd given her one on that last night, making an offhand joke about Hades and Persephone, and had felt disappointed when she hadn't so much as opened it. But he'd known it was unfair of him to ask her of that, so he hadn't pressed things; she was moving away, to a new town and a new life, and it would have been wrong of him to demand that she continue, long-distance, what they'd been unable to openly engage in while in the same town. But she'd eaten the whole thing! Not in front of him, true, but every single seed... did that mean what he hoped it meant? Did that mean she was his? Please God, let it mean that... "I'm glad... and..." Time for the plunge! Funny how this stuff always seems so easy when one is imagining it, and yet is so difficult when it's actually time. Funny how he almost feels like her supplicant at the moment. "I've moved here. I'm teaching at Seattle Pacific... visiting professor." Dear God, he suddenly thinks. Please don't let her have enrolled there. As if it would stop him. He'd been helpless to resist her allure before now, too.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 06:56 pm (EST)

Her heart misses a beat when she takes in the news he's just told her. Moved here? Oh my... coincidence, or purposely? It's far too hopeful to assume it was a purposeful move, but then again, he'd had such a coveted position at LSU. And there had been so many who'd coveted him, too. It'd been so difficult to watch other students, even some faculty, all but fawn over him. Of course, she couldn't so much as even let on about how much it bothered her. But he said "visiting," hadn't he? All that mattered was that he was here, now, with her. Had he known she'd be here, or had it been a lucky guess? Perhaps it was sheer chance, but she hoped it might be fate, if such a thing even existed. Still quite starry-eyed, she had to search for the right words, but everything she'd thought of saying so far had seemed so inadequate. She had to start somewhere, didn't she? "I've..." Glancing around, she has to remind herself that they're not on campus, that no one here could possibly know how they met and what they did back home. "I've missed you a lot, Master." That title was nothing out of the ordinary here, but she's never been able to actually call him that in public before. Was that horribly presumptive of her, though? More than anything, she hoped it wasn't.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 07:11 pm (EST)

Master. It makes his eyes light up. After all, that's a title that only one can have at a time... at least, the way the two of them play. If he's still her Master, there's no other man. And if she's still calling him her Master, then she's still willing to be his. And that's all he needs. "I've missed you a lot, too, Anna." Oh, how he wishes he had some special name for her that meant you are mine. "I couldn't stand it anymore. So here I am. I don't care who knows anymore." He reaches over and takes her free hand, the one he hasn't put a drink in. "If you're still willing to belong to me, I want you back. Need you back. No more games, no more hiding." Then a wry grin cracks through. "Well, some games. But no more lies." He'd always silently railed against it when young men, captivated by her beauty and intelligence, had come on to her and he'd been unable to tell them to back off. Hopefully those days are behind the both of them forever.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 07:38 pm (EST)

So relieved that he wasn't offended or taken aback by that title, she smiles up at him and raises her glass to his. "To no more lies, and to pomegranates." As had been their habit, she'd wait for him to take the first taste unless commanded otherwise. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, she hasn't been able to seriously consider belonging to anyone but him. Even months after she left, no one had even come close to him or had even had a chance of taking his place to command her... or in her heart. There had been so many times that she'd wanted to tell him in public that she loved him, let alone in private, but it would've changed so many things. It likely would've cost him his career, and even possibly her degree. The stakes had always been so high, and there'd never been a time when she thought they might be able to catch a break... unless one of them moved. With him on a fast track to tenure, she knew it'd be best if she were the one to leave. She knew it would hurt, but had no idea just how much until she'd taken that plunge months ago.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 07:54 pm (EST)

He's relieved as well. And he loves her toast. Touching his glass to hers, he nods and grins at the toast. "To no more lies, and to pomegranates. May there be many in our future." He sips the martini, just so glad of her company that he wouldn't care if it was the worst one ever; instead, it's one of the best he's ever had. I think... Seattle just became a lot more homey. When she gives his hand a gentle squeeze, he gives hers a squeeze back. People passing by might, just possibly, mistake her for the Domme and him for the submissive, because of the besotted expression he's wearing right now. Then again, around here, people probably understand how those dynamics often really work. Love is a word that's heavily on his mind, too. He knows that it's what drove him across the continent to find her, but he also knows it's a word that won't be spoken until they're alone together. It'll take a while for those old habits to truly die, and for the last of their furtiveness to fade. But he doesn't care. He discovered how little the security of tenure meant to him when it cost him her.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 08:15 pm (EST)

Sipping her martini, it too seems like the best she's had in quite a while -- since she left Louisiana, in fact. He's the reason for it, she's quite certain. Life hadn't ever seemed complete without him, and whether or not he'd known it, he was both her Dom and best friend. "There can be, I have some at my apartment." Her smile widening, she couldn't help at the thought of reversing roles, if only in that instance. He was a gentleman, a scholar, and a Dom, and their last Christmas together they'd sneaked off to his apartment under the pretense of discussing early Christmas traditions in England. And when it had turned to Masters and servants reversing roles if even for a short period, under certain circumstances, she couldn't help but offer him a pomegranate instead. Maybe it does work, for just this time of year. "That is, if you'd like me to be a Saturnalian switch again." The idea of finally admitting her love for him, albeit in private, is quite heady, and she wonders if it might be something best saved for Christmas. Her gift, though, would be her submission, and she'd enjoy every moment of it.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 08:41 pm (EST)

"Perfect." He's got it planned out in his head already. They can go to her apartment... and then get things she'll need for staying over at his! Although he's very curious to really explore her taste in living accommodations when she's no longer dealing with roommates assigned to her by the college. Her suggestion makes him grin broadly. "I'd love that, too. Oh, and, I should warn you... I have presents for you." Lots of them. Including several she can actually show other people! But the only gift he needs from her is herself. His Christmas is already replete if he has that.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 09:02 pm (EST)

"Oh, you do? I can present for you, if you like." She had bought him gifts with the intention of anonymously mailing them, well, if the post office would allow her to do it. They weren't much but they were thoughtful, like a framed photograph of punting on the River Cam. She'd love to go there, to Cambridge, with him and spend weeks in the libraries. It'd be quite decadent, really, with the added danger of being discovered by colleagues. But it isn't LSU, what could they really do about it?. "If you aren't settled in yet, you could stay with me, if you like." Which of course, she'd love! "But I only have an air mattress right now, and well.." It's obvious that they can't have too much fun with it!

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 09:09 pm (EST)

"You're on... about the presenting. My bed is actually set up." That had been the second thing he'd done, after getting Boethius settled. Speaking of... "And there's a certain tortoise who'll want to wish you a Merry Christmas, too, if we go to my place. We could bring your pomegranates there..." And of course, he's probably going to ask her -- once he recovers from his elation and works up his courage again -- to move in there with him. Which will be an interesting logistical puzzle involving leases but will also be the fruition of a long-shared dream that could never be articulated. It had been impossible in Louisiana, but now, as far as he's concerned, nothing is impossible. Not now that she's called him "Master" again.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 09:22 pm (EST)

"I do have something for you too, along with presenting. Well, and other things, if you might be interested." And she rather hopes that he is. There's so much to talk about, and although this is a safe place to do it, old habits die hard and she'll want to wait until they're alone to discuss such things. At the mention of the tortoise, she can't help but smile. "I can't wait to see him, and I even have some collards I can give him." There's an organic supermarket not far from her apartment, and she's found some favorite comfort foods there. If and when he does ask, she'll be more than happy to accept, hoping that this might change things permanently, even if he later decides to move back to Louisiana.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 09:29 pm (EST)

Kent lets her see the genuine relief he feels but also hams it up a little, releasing a sigh of exaggerated relief and resting his hand on his heart. "Oh, I'm glad. I was afraid that this was going to be the worst Christmas I'd had in years, but if you have presents for me..." His eyes twinkle, speaking volumes about how he has lavish gifts for her, too, and how he really had been dreading his first Christmas without her since they became a clandestine couple. His parents have been baffled for the last several years, unable to comprehend why they couldn't entice him home on such a critical holiday, and even asking if there was a special someone. Finally, he'll be able to admit that yes, there is.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 10:11 pm (EST)

"I do indeed!" Her smile softens as she continues, "I was afraid of the same, and had begged off going home so I wouldn't... " So I wouldn't chance seeing you with someone new. The idea alone had made her heart twist, and if that hadn't happened, there'd still be immense temptation to try to see him and possibly intrude on his new life without her. She's looking forward to being able to snuggle up next to him in bed, and not worrying about coordinating lies and deceptions to keep from being discovered. No more excuses or lies are needed, not now. Finishing off her martini, she can hardly wait to try out their newfound freedom.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 10:17 pm (EST)

His expression softens, too, and he brings her captive hand to his cheek. "You were afraid I'd found someone new? I was afraid of the same thing. But the truth is, I couldn't. You ruined me for other women, and other submissives. Nobody else compares." When she finishes her martini, he takes a final swallow from his and sets his glass down, taking hers and setting it next to his before taking her other hand. "Did you drive here? Or should we get a cab?" That, after all, is how he arrived; he didn't feel confident driving Seattle's icy roads when he'd been in town for only two days.

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 10:25 pm (EST)

"I was, very much so... it's why I didn't write you, I didn't want to disturb you if you'd moved on and found someone else." Blushing, she has her own admission to make. "You've ruined me for other men, and Doms, and I don't want anyone else, or to belong to anyone but you." And that's the honest truth. "Usually, I walk if I can, but I cabbed here tonight." She wonders if he did the same, and considering the drinks and the wather, it's the safest option, really. It's too bad it isn't private though!

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 10:35 pm (EST)

"Well, it's a very good thing Seattle Pacific was willing to take me on at such short notice," he says with a grin. "I just couldn't stay away from you. The hell with tenure track. They didn't have that in the twelfth century, either." Of course, in those days, a professor who messed around with a student probably would have been castrated if he'd been caught... mostly because all students and professors were male, and that was the punishment for sodomy at the time. There's a lot not to miss about the middle ages! "I cabbed, too. We could get one to your apartment and have him wait for us, to take us over to mine? And then we can have a proper Christmas celebration."

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 10:41 pm (EST)

"You really did all of this for me?" She doesn't feel deserving of it at all, but is incredibly grateful for whatever the reason for his move out here. "I... have thought about not pursuing anything past my Master's, Master." If that can keep them together anytime, anywhere, it's a sacrifice she's more than willing to make. "Sounds like a plan! I didn't move with much, but it shouldn't take long for me to get everything together." As for the proper Christmas, she hopes it involves a lot of what they used to do together, in private of course.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 10:54 pm (EST)

"For me as much as you... honestly I started feeling like I couldn't live without you." He looks awed by that, and he is; that was a complete first with him. Having her apart from him had been painful on a level that was both spiritual and physical, like nothing he'd ever known. "As for further degrees, that's entirely your call. Whatever makes you happiest. If you ever w-- Oh, good lord, I just almost slipped into Academic Adviser mode." He groans and laughs. But what he almost said is very true; his confidence in her scholastic abilities, and knows that if she ever goes for a PhD, she'll make a very distinctive mark. And he will be incredibly proud of her. But at the same time, he also has full confidence in her ability to make a distinctive mark in anything she does... so if she chooses not to pursue a PhD, he also won't be disappointed. But that's a talk for another time, when they're actually planning out their future together. Right now, he just wants to get her alone!

 

aperfectlie 2008-12-24 11:12 pm (EST)

With no glasses in their hands to hinder her, she can't help herself as she leans closer to hug him. It's so good to be with him again, in whatever setting or situation it might be. "You make me happiest, Master," she whispers to him. She'd love to get out of here with him, take a cab to her apartment and pack for the night in a mad dash so that they wouldn't waste any time getting to his place. If she were bolder, she might even be daring enough to suggest they reserve a playroom here, but that could wait for another time.

 

roman_courtois 2008-12-24 11:20 pm (EST)

He wraps his arms around her and hugs her close in response. The feel of her body against his is a powerful euphoric; it's something he feared he'd never get to experience again. "And you make me happiest," he whispers back. And she does. That was what made it easy to go on the crazy rollercoaster ride of switching universities mid-year, in spite of all of the red tape and faculty pressure in his way. When she left Louisiana, she took his sense of Home with him. And now he knows that, wherever she takes it, he will follow. He rises to his feet, helping her to hers as well and keeping his arms close around her. They'll need to bundle up before they go out into that cold, but that'll give the cab time to arrive. Whoever drives them to their apartments is going to end up getting a very lavish Christmas tip tonight. For Kent, his Christmas just became absolutely perfect.