thisismybar | Elijah

He'd hesitated, but he'd actually, eventually, bucked up and called Elijah to see if there was any news about the cave. He wasn't sure why, except that it seemed like such a nice, relatively non-threatening distraction.

Better than alcohol and vampire slaying, anyway.

Then he'd invited Elijah over to his place for a drink and to update him, before maybe (hopefully) going out and getting Elijah in there to look around. He understood that even less. Except... Elijah's company had been really, really easy. Kind of weird! But easy.

He missed easy.

Not that kind of easy. Just... close to comfortable, and pleasant.

He met Elijah with the door, handed him a glass of bourbon and stepped back to let him in.

"Any luck?" he asked, as he gestured Elijah toward the living room.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

thisismybar

Ric returned the small smile with his own,and shook his head. "It's harder than you'd think to make me do anything I don't want to do."

Compulsion and vervain exempted, of course.

From:

manof_myword

"Oh, of that I have no doubt," Elijah murmured, gaze a little warm for a moment, just a flicker.

Teasing challenges excepted, as well, of course.

From:

thisismybar

Being teasingly challenged, being called a coward- He was easier to manipulate than force.

Ric studied Elijah as he sipped from his glass, a little bemused by that moment of warmth. "I'm glad we got that out of the way.... And thank you."

From:

manof_myword

What more he could tease Ric into had crossed his mind more than once since they'd discovered the cave. Since the kiss, awkward as it might have been.

"You're welcome."

From:

thisismybar

It might have been awkward, and Ric still didn't know what it was about, but it had sent his mind... wandering places that were largely unexplored, before it.

He blinked a couple of times and shifted from bemused to fully confused, and then raked a hand through his hair. "We should go. Let me find a flashlight while you finish your drink."

From:

manof_myword

Elijah inclined his head. "All right."

He was still smiling a little bit as he took a larger sip of his drink.

From:

thisismybar

The inclined head and smile, while Ric was confused, was just a little unsettling. Okay, it was Elijah, it was a lot unsettling. He studied Elijah for another moment, finished his drink and then went to dig around and find a flashlight and batteries.

Once he had them, he came back. "Who's driving?"

He was going to ignore the unsettling. Along with the... other thing.

From:

manof_myword

Elijah liked unsettling people, most of the time. It was one of his few pure amusement things to do. He didn't much like that they were always scared of him, admittedly, but unsettled....worked.

"I'll drive." He finished his drink and stood fluidly, setting the glass aside and straightening his jacket.

From:

thisismybar

"Good," he said, cheerfully and headed for the door. "I can leave fingerprints all over your windows."

From:

manof_myword

Elijah gave him a sort of horrified look. "That would be highly inadvisable..."

From:

thisismybar

Ric smirked at Elijah, and held the door open for him. "Really? That sounds more like a challenge than the last one." Actually, it sounded vaguely threatening and what the hell was wrong with him that made that sound more fun, rather than less?

From:

manof_myword

"Ric?" Elijah moved in, completely ignoring personal space issues. "Leave my car windows alone..."

Though maybe he was offering a challenge more than a threat. Or a threat of something other than violence.

From:

thisismybar

Elijah moving in felt... charged, but not in a bad way. Ric smiled, and lifted his eyebrows just a touch. "Or what?"

In fairness to the fact that being nose to nose with an Original Vampire was not quite enough to actually intimidate him, he did refrain from doing what he wanted to. Which was less kiss Elijah and more 'kiss Elijah and use the distraction to make a mess of his hair and then run away laughing'.

Ric had issues.

From:

manof_myword

Intimidation wasn't really what was on Elijah's mind. Messing up his hair would have thrown him completely, though. The kiss probably not as much, though still a little. Eventually, well...he'd prefer that without having to dare Ric into it.

"Or..." If intimidation was not on his mind, nor was threatening violence. "I will replace all of your bourbon with iced tea one night while you're sleeping and compel the bartenders at the Grill to only serve you tea, as well."

From:

thisismybar

Ric stared at Elijah in abject horror, for several long moments. Then he dissolved into laughter. Really, loud, exuberant, joyful, rich, laughter. He just cracked completely the fuck up. He held his hands up, while he laughed. "All right. I'll leave your windows alone. This time."

From:

manof_myword

Elijah's grin was triumphant at Ric's horror and then laughter. It was real laughter and he felt incredibly proud of that, even if it wasn't something he did often himself.

"Wise decision."

From:

thisismybar

"This time," he repeated, while he attempted to regain some control of himself, and settled from laughing into a smile. "Next time I might decide it's worth it." Because clearly a prank war with a thousand year old vampire was something he should engage in.

He headed for Elijah's car, and to the passenger side. He didn't even touch it.

From:

manof_myword

"Next time I might let you." Elijah gave him a look and followed him out to the car, unlocking it with a press of a button and sliding into the driver's side, waiting for Ric to get in.

From:

thisismybar

Ric thought about using his shirt to open the door, so he didn't leave fingerprints on the handle, just to be a dick about it, but didn't. Instead he slid inside, closed the door behind him and buckled up. "Should I feel indulged? Flattered by the potential of being indulged?"

Something about finding the wickedness and playfulness in Elijah delighted Ric. Scary dude, yes, but that just made the contrast more fun.

From:

manof_myword

"Both," Elijah decreed, with another quick smirk and slip of a look over at Ric. "Very indulged."

He'd have been delighted to know Ric enjoyed that side of him--it didn't come out that often, but the history teacher seemed to bring it out in him.

From:

thisismybar

Ric eyed Elijah, skeptically, for a moment. "I'm sure I can find a way to take advantage of that...." He was a little cautious in that remark, a little more so than he had been.

He wasn't wary of Elijah, though, he was kind of... wary with himself, just a little. There was also an underlying curiosity, about just how far he could push that. In a very particular direction.

He had no idea what was wrong with him. He'd brood about it, later, he was sure.

From:

manof_myword

"Ah, but I think the advantage is clearly in my corner at the moment," Elijah pointed out with a bit of a smirk. "Though I've no doubt it will shift again."

That was part of the fun of this game, whatever game it was they were playing. And he kept wanting to see what exactly Ric would do.

From:

thisismybar

"It is," he agreed, and settled back in his seat. "And until I find something I'm willing to risk my bourbon for, or find a better hiding space, it's likely to stay there."

One of those options were more likely than the others. Yeah, yeah, stuff at the school, stores, other bars, he supposed, but the immediate threat of cold turkey and tea was enough. Bleh.