105 audiance or no (1/2)
The not so distant roar of traffic sounds are only barely over powered by the horrid sound of the squeaky voiced woman of the late night infomercial blaring on the overhead television. Light flickers from its screen casting shadows around the dark room. Russ rubs a hand over the back of his sore neck as he forces one tired eye open. He tries shifting his stiff body but the slashing of cold water brings the memories of the past several hours back to him. His attention quickly sharpens and his keen eyes settle on Joslyn. He stroked a large hand over her face brushing the stray strands of hair plaster to her damp brow and cheeks away. She released a soft moan and her lips curve into a weak but satisfied smile at his touch. Russ could felt some of the tension release from his body and he smiled back down at her in the dim light. ”Hey baby, you feeling any better?” he whispered against her temple.
”Umm...” Jos moaned contently as she snuggled against his chest.
He cupped her face between both is large hands and kissed her gently on the forehead. ”You had me so worried, baby. You can't ever do this to be again, understand?” He whispered against her forehead where his lips were still pressed. He could feel her small hands coming to life and moving against his chest.
She slid her fingers upwards across his upper abs and chest, pulsing to enjoy the hard, smooth surface of his skin. ”Um... Russ...” She nuzzled against him.
He pulled her tightly against him. ”Yes, it's me. I have you. You're safe now.”
Her eye flickered open. Confusion clouded them for the longest while as she searched his face and to a second to glance around the dark room. ”Russ?” She asked unable to believe her eyes. She brought her hands up to his face and trailed his features carefully as if memorizing each curve with her fingertips. ”Russ!” She repeated this time in hushed joy as she wrapped her arms around him. ”Russ, it's you. I thought I was dreaming at first.” When she tried to turn into his arms more the sloshing of the water caught her off guard. ”Russ? What's going on? Why are we sleeping in a hot tub?” She asked looking around in even more confusion. Her eyes moved to the beds and the sleeping bodies passed out there before shooting back to Russ. ”Why is everyone in here?”
Russ laughed. He couldn't help the overjoyed smile that crept over his face as he slid his hand across her cheek and tangled his fingers into her hair. ”You're alright? You feel ok?” When she nodded, he pulled her closer and kissed her lips deeply. Hot tears streamed down his face as he pressed his forehead to hers. ”I thought I'd lost you for ever.” He kissed her lips once more before pulling away and examining her better. He stroked a hand over her cheeks and hair, slid it slowly down her neck and over her shoulder, before finally settling it over her heart for several beats. ”You can't leave me, you can't ever scare me like that again, understand?” He smiled as her large aqua eyes searched his. ”I love you too much to lose you, like that ever again.” He pulled her tightly against his chest wrapping his arms around her. ”No matter what you've done or what you are, I will always love you. You understand that don't you?” He placed several kisses to her damp hair. ”Was this your fear all along? That I would discover your secret and not want you?” He could feel her breath catch and took that as a yes. ”You could never do anything shy of eating me that could end my love for you.” He chuckled, ”Side note: please never eat me...” He felt her light awkward laugh against his chest.
The concern slipped away from Jos's face as she brought her hands up to his face. She searched his features in the dim flickering light of the TV trying to memorize every detail. She stoked her fingers across the stubble of his face. ”I don't think I've ever seen you with even a shadow of facial hair.” She ran her hands over the blonde hairs tilting her head and smiling. ”I think I like it.” She rubbed her cheek against it.
Russ laughed and tightened his arms around her. ”After our last conversation I wasn't sure I'd ever hold you like this again.” He kissed the top of her head as he traced patterns across the soaked material of the baggy t-shirt she wore. ”And to answer your question, we are in a hotel room somewhere in Tennessee. After the attack, you passed out and Orion's brother brought you here,” he hooked a finger under her chin to bring her eyes up to meet his. He could tell she was still very uncomfortable about the big reveal of yesterday. ”I admit, I was shocked and a little scared at first.
Seeing what you are capable of...” he shrugged, ”I feel like it would have been unnerving even if I'd known the full truth, but Jos it doesn't change my love for you.” Genuine love colored his hushed words. ”I had already accepted that fact before we got the call about your condition.” He stroked the side of her face and she rested her head into the warmth of his large palm as tears burned both their eyes. ”When I saw you in that tub last night, I felt more fear in that moment than ever in my life. Seeing the macaque on the patio, my sister tied out like a fucking dog to a cabana... walking in on you straight devouring that fucking vampire... none of it compared to my fear of losing you, to my fear of you leaving this world before me.” He gently pulled her face up to meet his as he bent down toward her and kissed her lips tenderly letting them linger against her icy lips. ”I love you, Jos, all of you.”
A new tightness squeezed Jos's chest. She could feel a heavy weight lift, could feel the decades of self-loathing ease ever so slightly. She smiled happily up at him as she moved in closer to kiss his full waiting lips. ”I love you, too.” She whispered softly against his lips. She gazed up into his tired yet vivid blue eyes. ”I swear to you, I never stopped and never will. I realize I handled things wrong-”
”Sh...” Russ whispered as he replaced the single finger he'd used to silence her with his lips. ”It doesn't matter now. It's all in the past.” He kissed her lips again. ”I can hardly hold it against you. I did a lot of things to push up away in my attempt to force our relationship.” He whispered as he searched her eyes. ”Can you forgive an idiot child?” He stroked the backs of his fingers against her cheek.
Jos held his hand in hers and kissed his pruned palm. ”I don't see you as a child, I hadn't for a long time.” She could feel heat returning to her icy skin. ”I was just too ashamed by my own feelings to accept yours... and...” Looking away she let a tentacle emerge from the water and caress his arm, when he didn't flinch she turned her surprised eyes back to his. She let out a long sigh of relief. ”I was terrified you'd find me disgusting, and I couldn't take you looking at me that way.” Her cheeks heated more with her confession.
He took her face in both of his large hands. ”Look at me, I love you for you. There's nothing that could ever change that.”