I'm back ^^
Thank YOU for your kind, forgiving reception of the last chapter. I don't usually write physical intimacy, but I think physical intimacy is a key aspect of this story, so hopefully I'm not butchering it too much, writing horrors like "he kisses a nice kiss with his kissy lips".
This is a gentle, almost fluffy chapter, which will be followed by... Less fluff. Clam before the storm kind of thing. Vaas doesn't forgive easy.
Again, thank you for your amazing and continuous support, you make me want to write better :)
As expected, Vaas makes the most of the fact that she was the first to kiss him. He never mentions her trying to leave, and blames it all on Tim. Alice still does not know who killed Tim, but everyone else seems to think that it was her, which plays in her advantage. She keeps watching Vaas out of the corner of her eye, expecting reprisals, but nothing happens. Alice feels, knows, that she saw him break in that clearing, truly break, but he never talks about it, doesn't once speak of her trying to leave him. He only mentions her shooting Tim to protect him. The closest they ever come to talking about her active involvement in the escape attempt is when, one morning, Alice washes the puppy, and as they come out of the bathroom Vaas throws her a suspicious look from his sleeping spot on the couch.
"I have to share a bed with him," explains Alice, keeping her tone light. "He really smells."
Vaas nods, unconvinced, then gets up, grumpy, and as he walks past Alice to get to the bathroom she hears him grumble something along the lines of 'I shower every fucking day'. When he comes out, he very unceremoniously picks the dog up and throws it outside, but when he comes back he is himself again, chatty and smiling.
Alice wears the red tie on her arm everyday. When she walks around, pirates don't just nod their heads to Vaas, they do it to her too. They look at her. Some even give her a smile. Not a creepy one, a normal one. She even dares to go to the kitchen alone, without her protector (captor, betrays her mind).
Vaas is overjoyed.
He kisses her as often as he can, for as long as possible. Makes sure to kiss her at least once or twice in public each day. And when he isn't kissing her, he goes for her hand, rests his hand on her neck, does everything he can to make it clear that she's with him, not that he actually needs to. He tries to take things further, on a couple of occasions.
One afternoon, about a week later, they are watching a film together on his couch, and it is almost hilarious the way they are both sitting: his arm on the back of the couch in a very clear invitation, and her, shuffled as far as possible from him. Then, he gets up to use the toilet, and when he returns he sits right next - against - her. Eventually, he stretches his arms and gives a massive, ridiculous parody of a yawn, and his arm goes to the back of the couch, his fingers lightly touching her shoulder. It's so stupid that Alice cannot stifle a laugh.
"What? What you laughing at?" He tenses, his dark face so close that his breath tickles her face.
"Nothing, it's just uh... You know. Real smoo-ooth."
He just stares at her for a second and she wonders if she's angered him.
"Oh yeah?" His face cracks into a smile. "How's that for smooth?" He rests his forehead against hers, touches his nose to hers, holds her chin with two fingers and lets his breath carress her mouth before he brushes his lips to hers.
That is actually quite smooth. Corny, but smooth.
She responds easily to his kiss, because it is a soft, gentle one, and she is more comfortable with this kind of intimacy. The hot, hungry kisses always put her in a state of unrest and weakened nerves. Vaas nimbles at her lip, and she does the same, and when his tongue makes a timid contact with hers she is ready. She welcomes it with a sigh, a reaction which seems to give him confidence. His hand leaves her chin and travels to the side of her face, cupping it gently.
Very smooth indeed.
Alice's hands leave her lap and go to his shoulders. One hand snakes to the back of his head, caresses his Mohawk, and the other stays safely flat against his chest,ready to push away, or pull forward. He turns in his seat, facing her. The arm above her shoulders sinks slightly, enclosing her, and Alice finds that she isn't scared. It feels nice. Safe. His chest is so warm against her own, there's only her hand to stop her breasts from being crushed to his body.
And it feels nice.
They both have forgotten the film ('Netflix and chill' had said Vaas earlier, 'except no Netflix, and no chill.'), as the kiss starts getting a bit more heated. Vaas' hand goes from her face to her throat, his thumb brushing her lip on the way, then down again, until it is just above her breast. His fingers twitch, like he is resisting the urge to dig them in. She can tell he is doing what he thinks she will be comfortable with, and cannot help the dreaded and now familiar feeling of gratefulness from spreading through her. Her hand on his chest clutches at his shirt, pulls him forward.
"Nena" he whispers against her lips, followed by a series of words she doesn't know the meaning of, but which make her skin tingle all over. Alice isn't quite sure what is happening to her, or rather, she refuses to translate the way her body is reacting into a word, because that is scary, that is losing what little control she thinks she may have over the situation. She was going to allow a kiss, but now she wants...more than that. She aimed to allow,and now she wants. It's terrifying.
Her heart is beating wildly, her thoughts are fading, there's a warmth in her that makes her want to pull the pirate closer still, makes her want him to touch her, to push her back and-
Wait.
Alec speaks to her, as if he was right there. 'You have Vaas' madness in your hands' he said 'play your cards well'. What was the sexiest word in the world, according to him? Perhaps. Not yes.
Not yet.
She's started inching back herself, she sudenly realises, and Vaas is more than happy to follow her. He's practically on top of her now. There's no room to pull away. Gently but steadily, Alice pushes him up, signifying to him that now is enough. He gets it right away, she knows, but doesn't immediately complies, instead doing everything he knows brings out soft pleasure noises out of her. She insists a bit more, no longer responding to his kiss, no longer touching him back, and eventually he sits back up with a loud groan.
"You play me so bad," he sulks, but his eyes are smiling.
"I don't... I'm not trying to play you, I'm just, you know, not ready."
"Why? Is this your first time?"
"No! No, not at all. I mean, no it isn't." She reaches for his hand, gives it a squeeze. "But it's my first time with you, and now is not the right time, you know?"
"What, you mean on the couch? The bed's right there..."
"I mean, on the couch, in the afternoon, with Carlos right outside and everyone walking by... I just think our first time should be, you know... Special."
Oh god. It sounds so bad even she is cringing at her own words. There is not way in hell he is ever going to buy that. What a shit, shit excuse! There's no way that's going to work. She's got to play it safe, especially after how horribly wrong her little stunt has gone. Of course, the real reason for her refusal is that she doesn't want to have sex with him, or rather, she doesn't want to want to have sex with him, and she knows that now he's got a kiss, sex is pretty much her last joker.
"I want to get to know you better first." She adds. "I think it would be best of we were in love. Both of us."
She's been there with him for nearly a month now, and his 'girlfriend' for three weeks, perhaps more. If she really wants to find a way out before he gets too cosy with her, she is going to have to act fast. 'Special'. What a stupid thing to say.
"Ok. Alright." Vaas retracts his arm. "I still think you're playing me, playing all hard to get, but ok I'll go along. You're not easy, I respect that. 'Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet' " he declares, a finger in the air. "Aristotle said that. You know who that is?"
"A Greek philosopher?"
"Yeah. A really smart guy. He said a whole lot of smart, philosophical shit. When I read that quote I thought fuck that, but now I get it. This is bitter," he points to the obvious bulge in his trousers, "but this fruit" he digs a finger in Alice's ribs, causing her to let out a very undignified giggle, "is gonna be so fucking sweet." He opens his arms, gives her a challenging look. "And you just told me, when you agree to fuck me that will mean you're in love with me, correct?" His smile grows huge. "So play me all you want, nena."
Alice is blushing, she knows it, and she is thankful for Carlos' interruption.
"Vaas, time to go."
Vaas jumps to his feet, doesn't bother turning away as he rearranges his private bits in his trousers.
"You coming?"
Carlos and Alice exchange a confused look.
"I'm talking to her."
"Me?"
"No, her." He laughs, pointing at Carlos. "Yeah, you. You coming?"
"Uh" she looks at Carlos, who shrugs. "Sure, where are we going?"
"To see Hoyt."
"I'm going to meet Hoyt?"
"You broken or something? Come on nena, follow me, let's go!"
On the way there, Vaas, Carlos and Alice share a car. Both of the pirates are sitting in the front, Alice is in the back. Another car with three other pirates is following them. So far, they've taken a car, a boat, and now another car as they drive through the southern island. Alice is enjoying the ride, although she does feel a bit nervous, considering the insane build up around Hoyt. She doesn't know why Vaas has decided that now is the right time to meet Hoyt, but she finds comfort in knowing that Vaas must be sure of himself. Also, Vaas is the craziest one on these islands, Alec said, so whatever this Hoyt is like, she's seen worse.
The southern island is surprisingly different to the northern one. It has steep cliffs, open plains, less forest. Alice finds that she prefers the jungle, as dangerous as it is. Compared to this barren, open land, the jungle feels like a shelter.
"So, you said it wasn't your first time."
The question is so incredibly abrupt that Alice just blinks stupidly for a moment.
"Pardon?
"Earlier. When we were kissing. You said it wasn't your first time. I said 'is it your first time?' And you said to me 'not at all'. Not at all."
Carlos is right there. Right there.
"Uh... Yeah?"
"So?"
"So, what?"
"How many guys? How many times? Where?"
"Vaas, I don't really..."
Carlos clearly is enjoying himself. He is looking out the window, but Alice can see his reflection in the mirror. He is grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
"How many guys?" Insists Vaas. "Twenty? Thirty?"
She takes the bait.
"No! Not at all, god, just one."
"Just one, huh?" He lets out an empty chuckle. "You know what that actually makes it worse, nena." When Carlos snorts, Vaas points a finger at him. "Shut the fuck up, hermano."
"Worse?"
"What's his name then?"
Alice takes a deep breath.
"Eric."
"And?"
"And what?"
This is actually turning from mortifying to entertaining. It's almost as if Vaas is jealous. Which is good, very good, it's useful, it's something she can definitely use. Oh god, I'm so evil.
"Eric what? Eric Cocksucker? Where is he from? You fucked him? Where, how many times?"
Carlos laughs again and this time Vaas punches his shoulder. Carlos pulls his bandana over his mouth, but his eyes are still smiling.
"Eric from Sweden. He's, uh... Swedish." She can see Vaas frowning in confusion. "You know, tall, blond... I met him when I was 16, we were together for about six years... So to answer your question, yes."
"Tall and blond, huh?" That's the exact opposite of Vaas, and he looks really annoyed now. "How many times then? Where?" Another loud snort from Carlos. "Hermano shut the fuck up."
"I don't know how many times, Vaas, a lot, we were together a long time. And I don't know where, a lot of places?"
"A lot of places, yeah? You fucked that white boy many times in a lot of places but you won't fuck me once on the bed?"
"Well I didn't just jump in his bed either!"
They remain silent for a while, Vaas scowling at the road, Carlos laughing to himself.
"You loved him?"
"Pardon?"
"The fuck, you heard me."
"Yes I did love him. I don't anymore, though. I never think about him."
Vaas is quiet, lost in his deep, probably murderous thoughts.
"You don't love me either though?"
That's an unexpected question. And a very, very awkward one. Luckily, by now Alice has finally learnt that honesty is the best way to communicate with Vaas. The pirate sees right through lies, and does not take kindly to them.
"Not yet. But I will. I really like you, Vaas, I will love you. Just... Not yet."
"Why not?"
"I just- need time, I think?"
He nods.
"What's his full name and address then?"
"I'm not telling you that, no way."
Carlos looks like he is having the time of his life.
"Stop laughing you fuck, you should be advising me hermano. I'm gonna break his fucking legs." Grumbles Vaas. "Fucking blond lover boy."