fateandfortune | Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

Once again she never failed to surprise him, but instead of laughing at her, or brushing it off, or even asking if she really wanted to know the answer, he actually answered her, and honestly.

"Of course." He said. "Back when we had worshipers on board, some would favor a particular wraith and as having sex with your own kind can get repetitive when you're as old as some of us, taking a human to bed is not all that unheard of. Queens do it all the time as the only wraith she may sleep with is her commander while he is spoiled for choice as it were. However I prefer to avoid allowing worshipers in my bed. They're far too eager to please and..." He thought a moment "I believe the term is "slutty". They try to put on a show with little feeling or satisfaction in it all, desperate to be tied to a wraith to ensure they're not fed upon or use sex as an easy skill to keep them on board."

Hearing Todd say the word 'slutty' was one of the more comical things she'd experienced in her life. While it did paint a rather vivid picture of the type of person he was describing, it was just weird to hear him say it. Such a small reminder of the time he'd spent with humans, specifically those on Atlantis who would have used such a term, though on what occasion such a thing would have come up, she had no idea.

She was silent for a handful of seconds after he finished speaking, and then decided to just take the plunge before she chickened out for good. "Would you ever consider such a relationship with me?"

For a moment she thought she might actually be sick from the swell of nerves within her. But she wasn't like the humans he'd described. She wasn't a worshipper trying to avoid being fed upon, she wasn't out to win him over for her own gain. Yes, she was somewhat desperate for physical touch now that she could actually have it without harming the other party, but she never would have asked him if she didn't trust and care for him, and she certainly had no intention of bringing up anything of the sort with any others on the ship if Todd dismissed the idea.

Boredom had been quite prevalent when he'd been on Atlantis, there were many topics that circulated around with him and his guards when it struck, and did so often until he was allowed books.

And yet, another surprise.

He paused in their walk and looked to her. Todd smiled, "I'd be honored" he replied, inclining his head. He knew she must be desperate for physical contact after so many years without, but he also knew humans were largely choosy about their mates and she'd picked him for a reason.

Honored. Of all the things she thought he might say, that particular option had never once crossed her mind. She stared at Todd, mouth open as if to say something...

And then she laughed and sighed in some relieved combination, and she covered her eyes with a hand. "I didn't think you would say that," she admitted quietly. "You have no idea how nervous I was to even bring it up." Her heart still might leap out of her chest, actually. She felt as if she'd just run a marathon and it was a struggle to calm down.

Females were few and far between with wraith, as yesterday's bad news continued to kick back into light. So when one, human or wraith, wanted to be with a wraith, from the lowest underling to the highest commander, it was indeed an honor to be chosen, to be allowed to share such intimacy with-at least in a wraith's opinion-was the better of the sexes.

"Nervous? Why? Think I'd reject you?" he asked, blinking curiously at Rogue.

Her hand moved up to press at her forehead and she gave him a small, slightly sheepish smile. "Kind of, yeah," she told him before folding her arms again and turning her gaze to her shoes.

"And also, I was worried about things changing between us," she admitted carefully. "With humans, sex makes things complicated, and I don't want that. I wasn't sure how things worked with wraith, beyond what you've told me these past few weeks."

She didn't want to lose their easy friendship. Rogue would rather spend the rest of her life in complete celibacy than risk that, because of how much their relationship meant to her.

"I have no issues on that. The Queen might be my mate but she is also my CEO as it were. Kenny is my subordinate but we've shared some intimate times. Sex among wraith helps build bonds, not destroy them. For humans like yourself, that's up to you to decide. Will you think of me differently after we've had our fun? Will you still consider me a friend and the commander, or will you disrespect my authority and clamor over me at the most awkward of times?"

What happened in the bedroom, stayed in the bedroom. Outside, it was business and professionalism.

Building bonds. She liked the way that sounded, as compared to the human way that such intimacy seemed to often only cause trouble and tear apart perfectly good relationships. Rogue had said before that she wasn't looking for the typical human relationship, and that was still true. She wanted nothing more than to build on the easy companionship they already shared.

"I've never been the clingy sort," she told him with half a smirk, "and I think there's very little in the universe that could make me think of you as less than my friend and commander. And I would rather eat my own shoe than disrespect your authority."

She'd always taken great pains to address him properly around his crew, to follow his orders to the letter. He deserved that from her, but she also wasn't stupid enough to think she knew better than him when she was still such a stranger in this strange land. None of that would change if they added this aspect to their relationship.

A chuff of acknowledgement at that before they resumed their walk to his chambers.

He paused again however as something occurred to him

"Now that you can control your ability...will you remain the hive? Or stay on Atlantis upon our return?"

Woolsey would likely allow it and he was sure Sheppard and the others, while wouldn't reject her, would find it far easier to accept her on the base. With the knowledge of so many minds within her own, she could easily work on the city too.

That he paused again was a bit of a surprise, but when she registered the question it was easy to understand.

"This is my home," she told him simply. "I'll stay here as long as you let me."

She didn't even have to think twice about it. While she liked Sheppard and his team very much, and was fond of Atlantis as a city, she doubted she would ever feel like she could fit in there. Just because she could control her ability didn't mean she wasn't still a mutant, and her distrust and fear of the military ran deep, especially with the thought of what they might do to her should opportunity arise. If they found a use for her mutation like they had the wraith enzyme, she didn't doubt for a second that Woolsey and those he worked for would not stop until she complied with their plans, willingly or otherwise.

Edited 2015-12-21 17:54 (UTC)

Todd inclined his head, "You're welcome on board for however long you like."

He doubted she'd spend her entire life on the hive, even worshipers couldn't stand more than a few years at a time before they missed solid ground and some daily sun. But he wouldn't be kicking her off against her wishes.

The remaining walk to the commander's chambers took little time after that. He went into the bathroom and started the faucet to the tub-no shower yet-and set the usual items nearby before coming back out to remove his coat.

Rogue had spent the last few years avoiding the sun, for it was easier to travel under the cover of night when man and machine were hunting you. She did miss it, of course - she used to love sunbathing back at the mansion, sprawling out on the roof where she didn't have to worry about running into someone. But she couldn't imagine being anywhere else but the hive, she didn't know anything other than it and Atlantis.

By the time he'd returned from the bathroom, she'd sat in the armchair and removed her boots, and had taken her hair down to comb through the tangles with her fingers. She watched him remove his coat but didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say, not now that things had been set in motion.

He could sense her awkwardness. That's right, the last man she'd kissed had been her first. She'd never been with anyone before.

Todd came over and held out his hand. "We're just taking a bath" he reassured her "Like always."

If more happened, so be it. If not, then that was okay too. Just because they'd come to an agreement that sleeping with one another was okay didn't mean it had to happen tonight. Could be tonight, could be tomorrow morning, or weeks from now. Events would unfold as they did.

Rogue wasn't exactly a novice when it came to physical intimacy, but in areas she might as well have been. She'd been close with Remy, but things had been different. They'd had to be creative, careful. And it wasn't as if she didn't have hundreds of fragmented memories from the others in her mind, covering the whole spectrum of experiences. But it was incredibly different to live through something personally than just remember it from someone else's perspective.

Still. With those few words and that outstretched hand, he'd fixed everything. It was just like every other time they'd done this. Simple and easy. She took his hand with a small smile and gave his fingers a slight squeeze before she stood.

He returned the light grip before letting go to finish undressing and heading back to the bathroom to make sure the tub didn't overflow. He sat down on the edge, feet in the water as he undid the decorative knots and braids in his hair as he always did before washing up, and he always put the same ones back in after his mane dried.

When she came in he elaborated on the unasked question, but one that would come up sooner or later.

"Its tradition that one keep the hair decorations in from one's last mate." he said "When a new one is taken, they're undone and the new mate gets to put new ones in." Hence why so many wraith had such a variety of hair designs.

Rogue undressed as well, following him shortly after, and was a bit taken aback by the unexpected explanation. She'd admired the handiwork in his hair for weeks, slowly noticing as time passed that the style never changed, but she'd never thought to ask him about it. She'd assumed there was some cultural purpose behind the choices, or just personal preference and style, but she'd never imagined something like this.

She took a seat on the edge of the tub as well. "It's a lovely tradition," she told him with a fond smile. "Humans don't have anything like that, at least not in my culture." Maybe in others there was something as beautifully symbolic, but certainly not in 21st century America.

Her fingers itched to reach out and touch his hair, but she resisted the compulsion. "How long have you worn these?"

"Several years."

He'd not had a new partner in some time. No time these days it seemed.

She'd have her chance to change them as he no doubt would be with her next, when she wanted to.

When the tub was filled up, he shut the faucet off and slid into the hot water. Felt good on his sink and soaked him to the bones, relieving any aches left over from the fight.

"Would you like me to do your back?" he asked, picking up the sponge and lathering it up.

Rogue followed his example and slid down into the water, the heat seeping into her sore muscles. She'd be feeling the fight in the morning, and she envied his healing in that moment.

It was a day full of surprises for the both of them, it seemed. They both had always kept their distance while bathing, even while working on her training when she could hold her control for a good long while. Now things were shifting in their arrangement, and she was incredibly pleased with it.

"I would like that, thank you," she replied before reaching up to sweep over her to the side and over her scarred shoulder.

Todd scooted closer and began to lightly wash her back, making circles with the sponge over her scarred and marred pale skin. Old scars like these took longer to heal with the enzyme treatment, otherwise they too would have disappeared. But her ribs, having been black and blue and a variety of other colors these past few weeks were now unmarked.

He dragged the sponge along her shoulders to between the shoulder blades and down her spine, working in a steady but relaxed pace.

It was when the sponge moved down her spine that she shivered, the sensation of something moving across her skin sparking a gentle pleasure she hadn't felt in a long time. Her life had only been filled with touches like this, through barriers like fabric, and Remy for one had quickly learned how easy it was to get a reaction from her. Even the simplest things like a back massage could bring her to tears with how wonderful it felt.

She glanced over her shoulder at Todd for a second, slightly self-conscious about her reaction. Which was silly, really - if and when they did take that step, he'd find out all about her.

Todd expected her to feel, well, something, after all she'd not had the touch of another-real touch-in some time. But he didn't mind, she'd react however she'd react.

"Strange to have someone this close again?" he asked, but didn't pause with the sponge as he worked it over Rogue's other shoulder and down her back.

"You have no idea," she murmured, her expression turning distant. "I didn't have the best childhood; my birth parents gave me away when I was a baby, and I spent years in and out of foster homes until I was finally adopted by the D'Ancantos. But we were never a touchy feely family, we never hugged or... Everything was formal between us."

She pulled in a deep breath and closed her eyes, rubbing at them with damp fingers. "And then with my mutation, I never had the chance for something like this. Remy tried, and everything he did was perfect, but it could never be like this. I couldn't risk hurting him." If only she'd known how the world would change, maybe she would have taken more chances.

The commander listened quietly as he set the sponge aside and cupped water over the suds to rinse them off her back and shoulders, being less careful about brushing his fingers against her skin as he did so.

Rough life, plus her mutation, it was a wonder she hadn't fallen to pieces. Humans were indeed resilient creatures.

When he finished washing her back, he pulled her two-toned hair back around and held out the sponge to her. "Care to do mine?" he asked.

That brush of his fingers on her skin shook her from the melancholy of thinking back over the early years of her life, of all the things she had missed because of the hand she'd been dealt. Combined with the water flowing over her skin, it was relaxing. Soothing.

She took the sponge with a fond smile and answered, "Of course." After adding just a small amount of soap, she worked the lather up again before setting the sponge against his skin. Slow, smooth strokes across his left shoulder, and then his right, taking her time to notice the color of his skin, the small tattoo he had there. Her fingers had a mind of their own as she set the tips against those inked designs, tracing one and then another.

"Are they birds?"

Todd folded his arms and settled to rest them down on the side of the tub, chin atop, eyes closed, perfectly content with letting Rogue have her way with him...in a manner.

The scrubbing along his ridged spine felt especially good and he didn't bother holding in a thrum of pleasure when she ran the sponge along them.

He opened his eyes when she traced along the shoulder blade tattoo. "Indeed so" he replied. "During the earliest days of the war, we won a great victory over the Lanteans, taking over a large sector of the galaxy we believe the first of our queens flew. I was promoted from a lowly engineer to head scientist thanks to my idea of using and successfully putting to use the Lanteans technology against them, and received that tattoo." He elaborated.

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