Scribbles and Drabbles

Green Thumb 4

Waking up with a sore chest was not pleasant. His entire torso ached. He was in a four-poster bed with nests of flowers hanging in the canopy. If there weren't before, they were certainly thriving now. One vine was delicately wrapped around his ankle and while his magic didn't feel too overwhelming, he could still taste it in the back of his throat. 

He turned over, shivering as he felt the blankets move over bare skin. He was naked now.  Lord Barrow sat on a very comfortable-looking armchair, paging through a file calmly. Green eyes met his and a smile unfolded onto the man's face. "Good, you're awake," he nodded. "I was worried you'd sleep a long time with how tried you were." He placed the file down and shifted from the chair to the bed, sitting down with a hand on Walter's legs. 

"How long was I asleep, sir?" Walter checked, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feelings building as Barrow rubbed his thigh. He pulled the blankets around him closer but knew it was little defensive.

"Two hours or so. Not too long," 

"I see." Blankets around him, he sat up. Barrow tugged them down again revealing his chest. Walker tensed at stayed still, almost scared to look down and see what was there. He knew what would be there. Barrow's crest, Alec had it too. The mark that showed he belonged to Barrow in more than a sponsorship. Ice-cold fingers traced over it and he felt something flutter inside of him. A little happy twist of his powers as something settled. He was cherished and useful enough to be kept. The desire to vomit rose. His sisters had all looked forward to getting married a little too much, his brother too. Being part of a community and serving someone was the most important duty a rose could have.  

"It looks like it healed well," Barrow nodded before letting Walter have control of the blankets again. "Easier not to warn people about that bit." Walter got the feeling it from the tone it was the closest he was going to get to an apology. That in itself made him shiver. The fae never apologized, to get a hint of it showed he was well and truly Barrows now. 

"Everything feels strange at the moment," Walter murmured, finally looking down at the large mark on his chest. It was raised like a scar with green embedded on the very edges like a tattoo.  "I don't like it." He ran a hand down the mark and focused on breathing.  

"Once your powers settle maybe it will sort itself out. They are flexing in you at the moment. Filling you to the brim and learning how to fit in you. Everything will balance out eventually," Barrow reassured, rubbing Walter's thigh again. "And now for the fun bit."

Walter looked at him slowly. The moment more like the moment in a horror moved where a character looked up to see the monster than anything else. Barrow was grinning with his rows of teeth on show again. He leaned closer and kissed Walter's forehead. "Sir!" he protested but no words followed. What was he protesting? He had already given up his soul to the man. A kiss on the forehead was rather tame compared to what Barrow could demand from him. 

Barrow coughed.

A chill ran down Walter's back. "Uncle?" he offered uncertainly. "But I thought only your fae servants called you that?"

"Family, they are family. If they were my servants, I would treat them very differently," Barrow scolded, making himself more comfortable on the bed. "And you're close enough. As close as a human base can get without crossing the line. You'll likely cross it at some point naturally from what I know of your former clan. So you call me Uncle from now on,"

"Understood, Uncle," Walter nodded. He clenched his hand and felt the bones click. That hadn't been something he had considered yet. It was true that the 'elders' were fae technically now. "I want on record that this bit is not fun."

"It is for me," Barrow laughed. The warmth in it made Walter's tense shoulders relax. "Now come, my darling new nephew. Time to tell me all your secret. Are you a gusher or do you need me to question to get them flowing?"

"Please don't use that word," Walter screwed his face as unpleasant images came to mind. "A place to start would be helpful. "

Barrow happily provided one and Walter began the embarrassing, and at times, the painful experience of revealing the deepest wounds he had. Barrow laughed at some, scolded him for others. Held his hand during ones which were still raw to talk about without wanting to punch something to stop tears. But Walter got them out. Every secret and thought he kept buried away, laid out on the table for Barrow to feast from hungrily. From how Barrow licked his lips, feast was the right word for this. 

"Is that it?" Walter asked, tired from the experience and still vaguely aware he was naked at the moment. He'd stuff some pillows behind him to make sitting more comfortable but otherwise had tried not to move. 

"You tell me," Barrow fluttered his eyes at Walter. 

Walter closed one eye and tilted his head slightly, concentration on his face. "I'm sure there is something else but nothing comes to mind," he slumped, curling up and hugging his blanket covered knees. 

"There you go," Barrow smiled with a serene look of peace on his face, Walter almost able to see the flower in full blossom on his head. "There is a reason I do multiple sessions of this, Walter. No one can remember everything at once even with prompts. Secrets have a habit of bubbling up. You're free to er," Barrow tilted his head. "Do you want your own room or to stay with Alec?"

"Tonight staying with Alec is fine," Walter murmured, having admitted any insecurities about his relationship with Alec to him too. "Uncle. Am I still obligated to go out with Alec now?"

"You never were," Barrow lifted an eyebrow and unhappy expression. "You were obligated to be civil to him, not be his lover. You seemed happy with him though, if not exasperated at his behaviour but almost all his lovers are." There was look on the fae's face which had Walter shifting slightly. He may have just gotten Alec into trouble, he suspected. No one had ever said the words he was obligated to go out with Alec. Just that they were connected and Barrow would be upset if he upset Alec.

"Ah," Walter scratched the back of his head, trying to think of the words carefully and flushed. "I knew that. At the start, it was more fun to sleep with him too. Then..." he trailed off. "What do you think of his behaviour?"

"Noted for the next session," Barrow lifted an eyebrow. The sides of Walter's face heated and he was very glad Barrow didn't pause for those answers right now. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to find the words for it. "And it's pretty typical. Many enjoy multiple lovers. Its part of the whole house making bonds with another house. Not easy if you only have one to decide from. Alec's situation is a little different, I'll give you that."

"Except having multiple ongoing lovers is not normal here," Walter argued. "And he's not making any commitments with anyone or explaining what the relationship that we have with him is." 

"Yes, he needs to make some kind of deal with you all and get things straightened out," agreed Barrow, rubbing his chin. "I'll bring that up in his next session," he promised before standing up and moving to the side. "Would you want that? To be in a relationship with him?"

"I'm 90% certain I am in a relationship with him. I'd like to know what the relationship is exactly," Walter exhaled. "Am I permanent or temporary?" he wondered quietly, thinking of how Alec had looked at Marvin. Marvin couldn't stay Alec coming home with people he didn't know over him. Did that mean if Marvin asked, Alec would break this off with him? Or did it mean he needed to get Marvin to fall in love with him too? And then there was Tristin... And the fact Alec would be looking for at least two more lovers as good as he got over Charles death. 

"You're permanent to me."