Ok Guys..this is a bit 'o fluff Sabre style, and I ain't apologizing! I can't help that Marvel (who owns these guys and makes all da money) makes their characters so one-dimensional. You'd think these people were drawn on paper or something!

FYI..."Emma" is Vic and Birdy's daughter, courtesy of 1grrl4vic.



The Artist









"Ouch" Birdy cried out, jerking her arm reflexively. "that hurts!'

Victor held her arm firmly. "Ya asked for this Birdy" he reminded her, "Now quit yer bellyachin"

They were sitting in Victor's enormous four poster bed. The gold & tan satin bedding in disarray around them. Birdy was straddling Victor's lap, her left shoulder slightly turned towards him. They were still naked, having spent most of the day in vigorous love-making. He liked the way she looked now. Her gold hair in a messy shag around her face. Her cheeks glowing, her lips pulpy and red. Yeah Victor thought, she looked well fucked.

"Stop jerking around Birdy, or you will get hurt" he growled impatiently.

"You're not the one gettin' cut" she complained in reply.

"Then don't make bets that ain't a sure thing" he teased her, lowering his head to kiss and nibble her neck.

"Can we finish this please?", Birdy pleaded "You're enjoying this way too much"

Victor smiled at her. 'Seems to me I had to suffer through a day at that hellhole you call a mall the last time we hadda bet Birdy. Turnarounds fair play eh?" He chuckled. "Whaddya call it? Quid pro quo?"

"Yeah...whatever.." she replied testily. "You won this time ok?"

Victor suppressed a smirk, and resumed the demeanor of an artist. Serious, focused. He held her biceps with his left hand, and leaning slightly toward the night stand, reached and dipped his foreclaw almost delicately into a tiny bottle of gold paint. Holding her carefully, he brought his claw to her upper arm, and continued the image he had begun an hour before. Again and again he delicately punctured her skin, dipping his claw into the paint as needed to be sure the bold color showed well in the finished work. He took one of the cloth strips he had torn from the fine Egyptian cotton towel earlier, and dabbed at the tiny wounds that he had made. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and gently kissed and licked her upper arm. The taste of her blood arousing him, he placed his hands on the small of her back and pulled her into him.

"Hey! Hey!" Birdy admonished as she pushed away from him. "No freebies!. Finish your little art project first!"

Victor pulled away from her and resumed his artistic effort. Birdy watched him carefully, occasionally hissing through her teeth when the discomfort got to her.

Birdy finally began to relax somewhat, knowing that he was nearly finished. "Ya know" she spoke softly, " All this coulda been a set up"

"Not my style babe" he teased, smiling at her. "Ain't no need when your mark is swallowing the hook like an open mouth bass"

Birdy moved her head so that she could look him directly in the eye. "I never believed you'd let my mother have Emma for the weekend. You hate my mother."

"Don't havta like her ta let her play grandma." he replied honestly.

Birdy persisted. "This is the same woman you offered to "take out" for me, remember?"

"Yep" Victor agreed. "But she's good with Emma. Can't explain why some people can be lousy fucking parents, but good grandparents. But some can. "Sides", he assured her, "My man is guarding the beachhouse."

Birdy winced at the pain, though she was now accustomed to it. "You let me bet you that you'd NEVER let Emma go away with her" she chided him. "You had already talked to my mom, and you still let me make that bet."

"What can I say" Victor laughed. "One born ev'ry minute ya know."

Birdy sniffed. "Now I'm a pincushion, AND I'm out a sapphire tennis bracelet!"

Victor chuckled softly. He wiped at the wound on her arm with the improvised bandage again and turning her arm back and forth, studied his finished work. "There ya go Birdy. All finished. Guess I'm a regular Picasso"

Birdy climbed off his lap, and sprang out of the huge bed. She stood naked in front of the full length mirror, and turned to examine Victor's handiwork.

The gold was brilliant, even in the inflamed skin. Good coloring, she thought. The mark appeared to be a symbol, artistically rendered, about 3" by 3". As she looked closer she realized the symbol was really two letters, one on top of the other.

The bottom letter was a V. Though the upper lines of the letter curved sharply to the left, creating not a V exactly, but the image of a single claw. The letter imposed over the V-claw was a bold C. Birdy turned her shoulders to appraise the work.

"Nice tatoo" she said dryly as Victor moved behind her. "I guess I'm branded now?"

"Looks good on ya girl" Victor said approvingly.

Birdy thought Victor was a little too smug. "Ya know" she teased, leaning back into him as they both watched themselves in the mirror, "VC could stand for "Very Chic", or "Voluptuous Chick".

Victor laughed as he wrapped his arms around her. "You and I know what it means Babe. Ain't worried 'bout the resta the world."

Birdy turned around to face him. "Next time" she said playfully as she stroked her fingers down his muscular chest, "I get to tatoo you. And I'll be sure to pick a really delicate spot."

Victor smiled. "Too bad it won't keep Birdy"

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Victor leaned down and kissed her softly. He ran his fingers through her hair, deepening his kiss. Birdy shuddered as his hands slowly caressed her back and ended at her round bottom where he cupped her cheeks firmly and lifted her up to him. He broke off his kiss and whispered in her ear..

"Better hurry girl. Tiffany's closes at six."

"What' Birdy exclaimed. "I still get my bracelet?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and covered his face and neck with kisses.

"Yeah" Victor replied "But ya gotta earn it" he growled suggestively, as he set her down. Birdy smiled as she pushed him backwards towards the bed.

" No problem Boss" she cooed, 'Name your pleasure"

And he did.

They were at Tiffanys BEFORE six.