South Attic after the JA meeting - locked between Beka and Bel

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

After a very...interesting...JA meeting, Beka and Bel wanted somewhere private to talk. Upon discussion, Bel shimmered them to the door of South Attic. Her stomach twisted and she felt a bit green, but all in all, it wasn't too much worse than her first slipstream. In time she might get used to it.

Beka keyed the wards and let them in. Not seeing her roommates, but not wanting to be disturbed, she led him into her bedroom and shut the door.

Comments

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor sat down wearily, his good mood of earlier in the day diminished. He was so not being emo because his boyfriend didn't approve of his girlfriend, not at all. "Thanks," he said, looking down at the floor.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka sat down beside him, her mood much improved not at all because both Draco and Angelus decided to hit on her ferociously, but sensitive to Bel's needs she kept her voice soft. "Not a problem. I'd totally offer to hug you but I don't know how demons feel about hugs. So...?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Angelus says Phoebe treats me like a dog," Belthazor said. His tone may have easily been described as "pouting."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Phoebe doesn't treat anyone like a dog." Beka's tone was fiercely loyal. Then she softened it again and asked, "Do you feel like you're on a leash?"

[demonbelthazor]

"No!" he exclaimed. "I mean...." He struggled for the words. "It's just...different. Back home I would just claim her and put my mark on her and she'd be mine. I'm not used to this human boyfriend stuff."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

There was a bit of an edge to Beka's tone. "Claiming her is no solution. If she doesn't want to be with you of her own free will, then you shouldn't force her." She sighed, dispelling the tension of her own hot button. This wasn't about her. "But she does love you. Wants to be with you, from everything I've seen. So...what's the problem?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Yeah, she does," Belthazor said, oblivious to Beka's discomfort. "So why does Angelus say she treats me like a dog?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Because he totally wants you for himself. Like any sane man, woman or vampire would. Because he's used to controlling everything. You can't control love. Not that I'm any good at it, mind, but ... you have to ride it where it takes you."

[demonbelthazor]

Of course. Am so hot am turning self on. Belthazor frowned a little, thinking. "Do you think he's worried that Phoebe's affecting me? Making me soft or something? Because she's totally not. I'm still an evil demon. Really. Really."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

I want to agree. But feeding your ego... well. Yes. You're very hot. "I don't pretend to know what Angelus thinks, Bel. Except about sex I don't think you've gone soft. For whatever that's worth." Except you totally have. If you were truly evil still, you'd have me naked already. Angelus would. *taunt*

[demonbelthazor]

"Then why would he say that about her?" Belthazor said unhappily. "I'm still a demon. That hasn't changed. I just...care about Phoebe, too. I can do both."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Bel! You're a demon. Why would you say something like that? Why does Angelus ever say anything?" Beka sighed. "Yes. Yes. You can do both. Of course you can. Show me where it's written that a demon can't love?" She prayed there wasn't, in fact, anything of that sort.

[demonbelthazor]

"Well...." Belthazor said slowly. "Most demons can't. They can desire and lust, but they can't love. I'm...different, though."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"If you're different, then you're different. And you can love. Period. Don't bother to make up anything about why maybe you can't. I've seen it in your eyes. So. The real question is whether you want to or not." Again she forced back her frustration and softened her tone. "You do want to love Phoebe, don't you?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I do," he admitted. "I tried not to, but that didn't work. I just can't help thinking about the whole demon-witch thing. Demons kill witches. Witches kill demons. She may not have yet, but she will."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka stared at him. Uncomprehending at first, but then slowly... "Bel. Right now. Right now I want you to tell me that you're not thinking... Fuck. I don't even care what you're thinking."

She stood. Paced. Snarled. "Damn it. Does she know? That you're kind and her kind kill each other? Does. She. Know?"

[demonbelthazor]

"She knows," Belthazor growled. "I told her that's why I pushed her away at first. How could I love her if I was told to kill her one day? It's the way things are with our kinds. Demons serve the Source. The Source wants witches dead. Witches serve the Elders. The Elders want demons dead. Good versus evil."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Don't. Growl. At. Me." Beka moved closer, when any sane person would probably have moved away. "I'm not a witch. I'm not an Elder. I'm not the Source. I'm not your enemy."

She spun away. Tried to bring her temper under control. Breathed. Finally, she said, "That's something at least. You were honest. It probably explains Angelus too."

[demonbelthazor]

"How do you mean?" Belthazor said warily, trying to dispel some of the tension building within him. He stood up and circled behind the chair, putting his hands on the top of its back, trying not to snap the wood.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka leaned back against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. It was not a casual pose, in the slightest. Tension vibrated through her, ricocheted off Bel and came back to her. "Vampire. Soulless. Demon - soulless? Half-demon?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Half-human," he said in a low voice. His hands clenched on the back of the chair. "I...have a soul. Something I was brought up to be ashamed of. I've worked hard to bury it."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

[ooc: Angelus sits in meta-land and is fascinated to know how Beka thinks this is helping his friendship with Bel. ;) ]

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka nodded. "There've been times I've fought to hide my humanity too." Her words comes softer now, lower. More private and more intense. "Bel, Angelus had a soul once...right? He sees this is tearing you apart. Hell. I see that. He's just...trying to help."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

[ooc: Angelus apologies for jumping to conclusions. He promises to make it up to Beka when she calls. ;) ]