aftercare

[duke_of_illusions]

Barma wakes up an hour or so later, yawning.

Reaching to check on Al right away.

Comments

[duke_of_illusions]

"Good."

Smiling.

"Next time."

[al_truism]

"This time?"

Al cuddles up to him, hopefully.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Mmhm. We'll take you to that club and shake you a little more."

[al_truism]

"Do it," he tells him, a touch commanding because he knows it will rile him.

[duke_of_illusions]

Barma lets out a low, dark chuckle.

"Don't push in this state, Al."

[al_truism]

"This is the state I most want to push from," he whispers, confessing, squirming again underneath him, pushing his still-bare body up against Barma's.

"I'm already so there, it wouldn't take much at all-"

[duke_of_illusions]

"Do you understand that it's risky? That it might prolong, might feel a little dark-"

[al_truism]

"I know," he whispers back, lips pressed right to his ear.

"I want it. I want all of that, all of you."

[duke_of_illusions]

The world goes absolutely black. Blacker than the darkest night, without a speck of light in it, and Barma is suddenly out of arm's reach.

[al_truism]

Yes.

The thrill runs down his toes, despite the fact that he's left groping in the dark for him.

[duke_of_illusions]

He leaves him there. Ten seconds, twenty- fear play is for fear.

[al_truism]

The darkness and silence make Al wonder if Barma's blinded him, deafened him, or if it's only illusion.

Gradually, his heart rate increases, and a soft sound works its way out of him. He's breathing faster.

Normally it would take much more than this.

[duke_of_illusions]

Something winds around him in the dark, constricting him, pinning him tight to the bed, all silken and soft.

[al_truism]

He goes with it slowly, muscles moving only when forced to, trembling -- but enjoying the sensation all the same, simply because he knows it's a part of Barma.

His breathing gets a little louder, and he parts his lips for more air.

[duke_of_illusions]

Suddenly, abruptly, things fade back to normal. Barma is sitting on the edge of the bed, looking worried.

"I'm sorry to cut things off, Al, but-"

There's sound, coming from the hall.

[al_truism]

He comes back shaking, curled up behind him. He can't think of anyone who would come, not right now.

As close to his fears as he is, his mind flashes to the worst possible scenario.

He reaches for Barma's hand.

[duke_of_illusions]

"You're really out of it."

Squeezing his hand, giving his forehead a kiss.

"Wait here. I'll go check what's happening."

No one's knocking- but there's yelling, distantly. Barma climbs off the bed, extricating himself from him gently.

"Stay. Are you going to be all right?"

[al_truism]

Al watches him for a moment, still wide-eyed, but moves quickly to his feet. He's unsteady.

"I'm not letting you walk out there alone."

It's stupid, Barma could take care of himself far better than Al could ever protect him, and he's so off that he's probably more of a liability.

[duke_of_illusions]

"You're staying."

And his illusion slips out the door. Barma himself, carefully tucked out of sight, settles in to play.

The door snicks shut, and audibly locks.

[al_truism]

Al follows him to the door regardless, though when it slams in his face, it's enough of a shock to make Al utterly forget that he can unlock it. Or transmute it open.

He stays for a few seconds, trembling, then carefully slides down to sit by the door, listening hard.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Have you cleared the rooms on this floor?" Someone asks, loudly, "Yes, the duke came out of that one- we have to hurry to the next level up, come on, there's a chance of ferrying water down, it's clear-"

The hall door slams. More running.

[al_truism]

Al's still short of breath. If it's dangerous, if something happens-

Barma will come back for him. He wouldn't leave him here. Not unless he couldn't come back.

[duke_of_illusions]

Five minutes of silence.

Then the power shorts out. There's still the light of the windows, but nothing coming in from under the door. The building power is down. Everything is very quiet.

[al_truism]

Al opens his mouth to call out for him, but thinks better of it. His mind is still a tangled mess.

But Barma wouldn't leave him here. He trusts him. Utterly.

He'll come back for him.

[duke_of_illusions]

The room starts to smell like smoke. It begins to trickle, gently, around the frame- Barma has built walls of illusion a few inches within the real walls of the room. He heats up the doorknob, gently, begins to raise the temperature, so gradually it'll take a long time to sink in.