11195/Sleeping Beauty..

Sleeping Beauty..
Date of Scene:	15 March 2020
Location:	Apartment, the Blue Lady
Synopsis:	As Buffy recovers, a new problem threatens her relationship with Thomas.
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Thomas Raith, Buffy Summers

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Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Okay. Considering that they just stormed a vampire hangout. It's late at night, Nick is tired as hell at having to make a repeat performance, PLUS he never bothered to get his driver's license. He didn't do that badly driving the Humvee. The late night traffic mostly helped out. The routes were not exactly the most direct but they had the least amount of percieved obstacles. And the years of practicing flying has helped greatly with with Nick's perception of spaces.

Except for one thing.

Ravens are much smaller than humvees.

So, the sparkling white humvee now has a souvenier of the adventure. Namely the green street sign closest to where the drive first started. Fate was forgiving in that the pole it was attached to remained cemented into the ground.

But hey. After that- smooth sailing. :D

And so the Humvee pulls into an alleyway near the Blue Lady. Because, to drive without a license is one thing. To attempt parallel parking on the same trip is just crazy.

The vehicle comes to a stop. Nick quietly turns off the engine and just looks out the front windshield, giving a small nod before unbuckling his seatbelt. "Warned you."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith just grunts at the man and opens the back seat, carefully extricating himself and then the Slayer, walking towards a nondescript door on the back of the building behind the Blue LAdy. He gestures towards the number pad. "Zero, Four, Zero, Nine, One, Nine, Two, Six." He instructs the singer, since his own hands are not free.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Getting out of the car, and walking over the hooded Nick reaches a gloved hand over to press the buttons as instructed. Once the sound of the lock unfastening reaches his ears, he grabs the handle and turns, tugging the door open to allow the club owner access.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods and carries the woman up the stairs, taking them three at a time with the grace of dancer. Straight through the apartment and to the Bedroom. Carefully he lays her down on the massive bed and shivers... He leans over and kisses her forehead softly. He shivers slightly whispers "I love you", to her unconcious form before stepping away... his lips blistered like he just kissed a hot frying pan.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers had fallen into a not-so peaceful sleep, tormented by dreams, nightmares even, of the Master, of Angel and how she was forced to kill him to save the world..Only Angel's face was replaced with Thomas as she heard the words he murmured. Eyes slowly fly open, blinking slowy. "Thomas..?" she yawns and stretches, feeling a little strength coming back, but she's still too exhausted to get up yet. "What happened?" and then it hit her, panic setting in. "Dawn? Dawn..Is she okay?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Being that Thomas has his hands busy and he has no understanding of the layout of the living quarters in the building, Nick tags along in case more doors need to be opened.

Upon Thomas taking Buffy into the bedroom, Nick spins to a halt, leaving the two of them alone in there. Yeah, he can wait outside for that first part.

Nick pulls off his gloves, tucking them into the pocket where the stakes once were before pulling the hoodie up over his head, exposing the drab, plain black Tee underneath. Using the sleeves he wraps it around his waist. flipping the hood to where it is hidden from view. Not the most fashionable but, right now he doesn't want to be wearing the extra layer.

Hearing Buffy asking questions, he turns his head, glancing into the room.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith leans down and sits on the bed beside her, "She's fine. Dawn is fine." He promises her softly. The man torn... he needs to feed, and Buffy is entirely too weak for him to feed on her... and there was the thing that just happened.. but he can't bring himself to leave her.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers breathes slowly, seeming to relax now that she knows Dawn is fine. She hasn't noticed the blistering on his skin yet, but she reaches out to clutch his hand. "Thank you. I knew I could count on you. I guess I must look like hell, huh.." she laughs weakly, "I feel like I got hit by a dump truck.." she pauses, concerned. Something feels..Wrong. "Are you...Okay?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick steps through the doorway, but not coming closer to the pair as he looks over to Buffy, "What about you, Buffy?"

Nick too, has not noticed the blistering on Thomas's lips because- Well, why would he? But the question Buffy's asking does cause for him to look over to Thomas where he continues to fail at his perception roll. Is something wrong with the club owner?

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith smiles a bit, "Everything is fine lover, no worries." He promises softly, "Just get some rest. I'm going to make us some cocoa." He promises softly. He stands and shivers, hoping the Slayer nods right back to sleep...

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Ok. THAT Nick notices. He glances over towards Buffy before looking back to Thomas, stepping aside to let him through the door way.

"Ok I'm going to second her question." He says to Thomas once he's certain Buffy can't hear him, "Are you okay?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith looks at the singer, the blisters quite visable on his mouth now like he tried to bite a red hot iron. "I'll.. I'll be okay." He says softly going into the kitchen area and pouring milk into a copper pan. "Just a little... coming down from the high of the fight, right?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick's eyes widen a bit as the closer view of the face does present the problem in such a way that even he can't ignore it.

"Like hell you are." Nick murmurs, following after Thomas, "You look like a vampire that just tried to make out with a crucifix."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith shrugs and shivers a little bit. "Yeah, I know." he says pinching the bridge of his nose, then turning on the flame of the stove under the milk. "Apparently Buffy is in love with me... aNd I am in love with her. And isn't that a kick in the teeth."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The musician looks a bit perplexed about the situation, "So, you've got a severe allergy to love?" Nick frowns, "Well, that's-" He pauses, frowning as he can't just find the words for it.

He leans back, shaking his head, "That sucks."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly at that. "Pretty much. Never thought I was even capeable of that sort of love. I used to always say it's got to be the Real stuff. Westley and Buttercup levels of love. None of that Romeo and Juliett bullshit." He shakes his head and takes blocks of chocolate out of the freezer to melt in the milk.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick looks to the stove and pot, "So being you never thought of it being possible, do you have any idea how you're going to tell her?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith shrugs dlightly again. "I don't know... I really don't..." He looks at his own reflection in the stainless steel fixtures.. He brings a finger to his lips and wiinces. "She'll figure it out pretty quick I imagine."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers is awake and already healing up pretty quickly. Enough so that she climbed out of bed and lurked in the entryway to the kitchen, enough to hear what happened..Or rather, what she did to him.

"I'm sorry..I can't stay here.." she sighs, staring down at her clenched fists, her hands shaking slightly, "I didn't mean to do it..But I've doomed you, just like I doomed Angel..I should go.." Buffy looks away, eyes filled with tears.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Oh yeah." Nick replies, giving a nod, "If I'm noticing it, she definitely will." He shifts his weight, looking over to the club owner, "I'd recommend starting off with telling her that you love her."

Hearing Buffy's voice, his head turns, looking to her. "F-"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith blinks and sighs, turning a bit and actually... maybe it's the stress of everything but... he laughs. He laughs and shakes his head. "You haven't doomed me Buffy. Empty Night please do not be so dramatic. I'm making cocoa. With real chocolate. Just have a seat, please. Don't leave me right now, okay?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers eyes the seat warily, shaking her head. "Haven't I? I know..We both knew what would happen if we got too close. I'll burn you up like a torch. I'll make you hurt." she laughs a bit too, fiercely wiping the tears from her eyes, finding it hard to even look at him anymore. It just hurts too much.

It's funny, ironic even, Buffy only went through the heartbreak with Angel before, loved him too much, killed him, cursed him to never love anyone else ever again..Now she's done the same to Thomas.

"What's the point? I saw how your lips blistered. I cant *help* you anymore, I'll only hurt you." she does hesitate though, not wanting to abandon him but..

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick bites his lip, looking between the two as they discuss their relationship. While fascinating in terms of the love allergy, he feels extremely unqualified to be listening in on this, nor does he think he can offer much for the counseling thing. It's like a nightm-

Nick clears his throat.

"Ok. There's going to be some discussion between you two about this, I'm certain. And I'm more than willing to give you two adults privacy to discuss things but I just remembered something that should be resolved before I leave you two."

He looks over to Buffy, "Are you still having nightmares?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith shrugs a little bit. "I'm not a quitter Buffy, and neither are you. Now we'll figure a way through this. It's not even really that hard if you want to go the quick and dirty solution. You won't, but.." He shrugs, pouring the cocoa. He nods to the other man, "Thanks Nick, I appreciate...eveything."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers bites her lip, arching a brow at Nick and shrugs, "I always have nightmares, part of the job. I'm used to it, really so don't sweat it.."

She continues to hover in the doorway, fiddling with the ring on her finger, finding it painful to even look at Thomas now..

"You're right, I'm not a quitter..But I don't really see any way around this. Do you think I quit so easily on Angel without a fight? It just didn't work. Even besides the whole, sacrificing my first love to save the world..Having his soul restored. I tried..We tried to be in relationship without getting too close but.. Things just didn't work." She sighs. "I'm just unlucky in love I guess."

And then he talks about the 'Quick and dirty' solution and that gives her pause, afraid to even ask, but.. "..What do you mean?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Ah ah ahah. AFTER I leave." Nick cautions, cutting off Buffy, not really wanting to hear any possible discussion of their relationship logistics. "Now back on topic..." He looks to Buffy, "You've had a busy few days, and you can do with a couple nights without the nightmares. And if you want me to shut up about this, You'll let me try this for you."

While Nick may look to be in his early twenties, the glance to Buffy gives her a glimpse to his actual age. The wizened age of - 27. Wait, seriously? We put a whole paragraph to this?

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith nods slightly, and apparently agrees with Nick that the conversation needs to be held at least in private. He gets up and pours the two of them, him and Buffy, cups of Cocoa. He does not want to shove the other man off but...some conversations need to be held in private. He stays silent.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers glances at Nick as he takes his leave. "Thank you, for helping me..For protecting him." she pats him on the arm, but pauses, quirking a curious brow at him, "Umm, can you really do that? I mean...I dunno, it'd be nice not to have nightmares but sometimes they're needed. You know, prophetic dreams and what not." like the one that got her in this mess that ruined things between her and Thomas to begin with. Yeah, she could do without stuff like that.

"Umm, let's talk about it later maybe..?" she offers him a weak smile before glancing back at Thomas. And the hot chocolate. Because dammit, she's starving really, being cooped up in that place for even two days alone, being fed on constantly, without a bite to eat. Really the whole ordeal was pretty exhausting.

She crosses to the kitchen quickly, grabbing the cocoa with trembling hands, sitting down tiredly because dammit, she's still not back to full strength. Still she doesn't have the heart to look at him, not after what she did to him. Buffy takes a long sip of the cocoa, not really caring it she burns her lips a little. It's nothing to what she did to him afterall.

"I'm only staying til I recover fully..If I have to, I'll take the couch.." well that's one awkward thing out of the way.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Yeah, dreams are kind of a thing." Nick answers, looking at Buffy in a skeptical manner when she says that she will talk about it later. "...Okay. But don't go chasing after them alone. Tell someone first."

Shaking his head he spins on his feet to start walking to the exit. "Alright you two love birds. Talk away. And Thomas, don't expect me to be subbing on piano for the next few days. I've racked up quite a bill helping you guys."

And like that, Nick leaves.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith sighs a bit and sips his cocoa, wincing as he touches the hot mug to his blistered lips. "Okay, ow, that hurts." he nods to Nick. "Not a problem. Empty Night if you need a hand, I owe you. I can float you a loan if you need it. No questions asked." He then looks to his lover and he says with a sigh. "Okay First of all, this is not the end of the world for us. It's a speed bump, that is all, alright?" he says casually taking his seat across from her.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers glances back at him, a pained look crossing her face as he winces from the blister. That she caused. She really should just stay away from love altogether, it always ends in doom for her..

"You said it would never happen, that kind of love is rare, next to impossible. You lied.." Her frown deepens, staring back into her mug. "Where could we possibly go from here..?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith sighs a little bit and leans back. "It is rare. Extremely rare." He says with a sigh, sipping out of the corner of his mouth to avoid reburning his mouth. "And it's fragile. Honestly it's really easy to put things back to the status quo. i just... I just never imagined a situation where I'd be the one rushing to rescue you like that."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers shakes her head, sipping more of her cocoa. Because it's pretty good, and it helps calm her down a bit. "Then maybe you're mistaken. Because I never said how I felt about you. And you just said what you said because you were worried so..Maybe you just burnt your lip on cocoa or something."

She sighs, "This is all my fault, isn't it. If I hadn't run off like that, following my vision, trying to stop Armastus on my own...You wouldn't have followed.." But if he's right..?

"Then what do we do?"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith shrugs a bit, "Remember the other day when you got annoyed because I don't seem to get jelios?" he asks casually. Then he shrugs. "You have a one night stand. It's sort of like how Nick said it's like I got touched by a Holy object. Have to...desanctify it." Might be telling though he can't look her in the eyes as he suggests it.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers frowns deeply at that, "Are you kidding me?! Do you REALLY think I'd do that to you..Even if we obviously cant have a normal relationship anymore..?" she sighs, "If that's it, then we're doomed. Is there..Really no other way?" she stares down at her ring again, pondering, "I thought it could never happen, you and me, not more than a passing fancy, I mean..I still have feelings for Angel. Or, I thought I did." not that she'd ever consider sleeping with him. Not with the whole Angelus thing constantly hovering over his head.

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith sighs a bit, "Im a monster Buffy." he says simply, standing and siping his cocoa, "I never even considered monogamy as an option before I met you." He shrugs a bit, 'I love you Buffy." now that the damage is done, why not be honest with her. With Himself. Do I like the idea? Empty Night, no. But if the other option is that we can't be together, I'd rather take the bitter pill then...then lose you."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers shakes her head. "You're not a monster, stop saying that!" she stares at him now, refusing to look away.

"You were nothing but honest with me from the start. You TOLD me about your..'Condition' and you asked me for help. I didn't go into this not knowing what I was getting myself into.." Buffy sighs, climbing to her feet, taking her empty cup to the sink, pausing only briefly when he makes that terrible confession.

"I...Feel the same way about you, Thomas..Never admitted it, I was afraid to say it out loud..But I..I love you too." she replies softly, "..I dont want to lose you either but...If I did that? It'd be pretty much the same thing, wouldn't it? Would you really WANT to be with someone who outright betrayed you like that??"

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raithshrugs slightly. "People cheat all the time on their partners Buffy. Many of them...Many of them have long happy relationships after. Hell Its not really even cheating is it? It's not like you are hiding it from me. Not like it will be a secret." He shakes his head, and there is something of the roguish smirk on his lips, "If it makes you feel better, we could always pick someone up together and have them. Kind of a intricate way to try talk yo around to a threesome but hell spice things up."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers shakes her head, tossing her bowl in the sink, heading for the exit. "Yeah, that's NOT gonna happen. And if I DID sleep with someone else, how do you know I wouldn't just choose to be with them instead? I told you before, I could never be intimate like that with someone unless I cared enough about them. And that just sounds like a recipe for disaster. Unless there's another way, I cant.." she sighs, reaching for the door. "I'm sorry."

Thomas Raith has posed:
Thomas Raith doesn't look at her. He just stares at the sink. What can he do? He knew what she'd say. Hell she wouldn't be the woman he loves otherwise. All he says in reply is a soft "I love you."