waywardious: (sauté |)
Claude Laurent Bérubé ([personal profile] waywardious) wrote2015-11-23 08:52 pm
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(2) after and before.








The post-performance bustle is always exceedingly pronounced on closing night. The dressing rooms reverberate with the chatter of the ballerinas and the loud shouting of the danseurs, trying to hear themselves above the rush of water and clothes. Claude has slipped relatively unseen through the commotion, narrowly avoiding Jules and managing to excuse himself when Marise makes a brave attempt at cornering him. He has no idea whether he’ll actually meet Vincent at all, on the street once more, but his entire system is overwrought from the emotional charge it required to dance like he did tonight. Watched, all over again, by a pair of non-judgmental eyes. The rest of the company may be headed for their scheduled parties, but he fully intends to go easy on himself tonight. Grant himself just a little elbowroom.

So, out of his costume and his makeup – tonight (at least) wearing a vest over his shirt, he thumps his brown top hat into position on his head and shrugs into his coat. Slides on a pair of kidskin gloves, but no scarf tonight, because April has brought along gentler winds and kinder temperatures.

Opening the heavy door leading out, right at the heels of the first corps girls, he feels the initial gusts of contentment seep into his system. He danced that variation better tonight than he has ever danced anything in his entire life; he doesn’t even care if his promotion remains obscured in the fogs of the future. He danced like Pavel taught him. Like Pavel inspired him to. All the while, someone watched him and Claude hopes to God that Vincent doesn’t decide to simply disappear back into the crowd.



thecountofthree: (the better claim)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-03 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude pushes back against him and suddenly, they're front to front in a way he couldn’t even imagine (though he can, yes, once his eyes are closed and the night’s open and limitless around him). The feel of proximity, of being this close to someone else is making him feel lightheaded and he curls his fingers in the fabric of Claude’s jacket, holding on for dear life as he leans in just a bit further yet.

When Claude pushes his tongue against his lips, it takes him at least a second (more possibly three) to understand what’s happening. He’s never – not the touch of someone else’s tongue and it’s so good, like another barrier of intimacy, broken. Following the other man’s lead, Vincent parts his lips as well, breathing in harshly and exhaling before pressing his tongue lightly against Claude’s. Just the very tip of it, just… but oh. Oh. Eyes falling shut, he sighs, shoulders relaxing for the first time in what feels like ages. When Claude groans, the sound rushes straight through his system, pooling very heatedly between his legs. Ignoring that - there’s a time and a place, perhaps, and he doesn’t want his body to ruin this - Vincent leans into the touch of his fingers before freeing one hand and pushing Claude’s hat further down his head, already on the verge of toppling off against the brick wall. Like this, he can… he can… yes. Running his fingers through Claude’s hair slowly, long fingertips stroking over his scalp, he realises that he could do this all night, no problem. Just the two of them, right here with their bodies and mouths pressed together, sharing an intimacy that he’s never truly known to exist. His dreams are nothing in comparison, less than the weight of a passing thought.
thecountofthree: (really about the same)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-03 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
He’s busy drowning in the feel of Claude’s tongue pressing into his mouth, the taste of him soft and rounded. It’s so overwhelmingly hot as well, each wet stroke against his tongue invoking a sense of urgency, sparks leaping through the rest of his body. He does pay note to the way Claude runs his hand down his chest but all he can think is stimulation, his body eating it all up and his mind staggering behind, making no valid attempts at catching up. God, but he’s never thought that kissing someone would feel like this. Every poor girl he’s taken out on strolls, to evening arrangements and parties – inevitably, at some point during every such arrangement, he would be left to wonder why the thought of intimacy repulsed him so, left him so cold and disinterested. He’d felt like… like a monster. But this – this is…

Claude’s hand slips further down and suddenly, his palm is pressing in between his legs, right up against his – and it’s definitely hard by now, embarrassingly so. Vincent yelps, managing by some miracle not to bite down on Claude’s tongue as he jumps backwards, the loss of body contact almost painfully stark. A part of him wants to keep going, of course it does – the part that wouldn’t care about (would relish) being naked and depraved right in the middle of a public alleyway. The rest of him is mortified, his mind suddenly bearing down with all the accusations, all the blame and all the guilt. Why can’t he control himself? What’s this, why can’t he just…

Blinking, he runs his hands down his clothes, movements frantic, managing to brush out neither the wrinkles in the fabric nor the sudden discovery of touch, of physical nearness. More importantly, inside his mouth the taste of Claude – of his warmness, of the underlying passion – lingers. The wetness along his lips, same. He’s doing nothing to wipe them clean, either; rather, he’s just staring owlishly at Claude, everything suddenly pulled to a stop though every inch of his body – and really, his mind, too – remains desperate to proceed.
thecountofthree: (diverged)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-05 03:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude's words echo in his mind like a flock of birds, taking flight towards the light. For a long moment, he just stands there with his hands clenched by his sides, his lips still tingling from the kiss and wonders how he's supposed to reject this. Not how do I reject him? or why don't I leave. Rather, it's a sense of disbelief - that leaving would be the right thing to do, the only proper solution. And that no matter how hard he tries to envision his mother's disappointment (disappointment requires some kinds of expectations first, though, doesn't it?), he can't for the life of him imagine something he'd feel less inclined to do.

"Yes." The word nearly tumbles out of him, his voice hoarse. Stepping closer once more, he takes another deep breath and smiles, managing for at least a few seconds to dispel any worries from his expression.

This shame... It doesn't belong to this here between them, whatever it is. It may be for him to bear but surely, what they just shared - what Claude just gave him without words or greediness - surely, something like that can't damn him in any way that his own thoughts haven't already. And even if it does... what then? Maybe that's the true question right there and maybe it's fine for him to have no answer now - beyond the obvious, a repetition:

"Yes, I'd love to."

Even if he'll be walking blindly up those stairs in the dark, just like last time he'll be in excellent company.
thecountofthree: (sorry I could not travel)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-05 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
The touch of Claude's fingers draws out his smile for just a bit longer as he turns his head obediently to allow the light kiss, just a brief touch of his lips against his cheek. It's enough to send hot chills running down his spine, though, the coldness of the night forced into the background. Watching as Claude steps away and takes his beautiful lips with him into the shadows, he realises that he's known all along, ever since he decided to buy the other man flowers back then and perhaps even earlier, too. He's known the way, yes, in many more ways beyond the relative innocence of Claude's words.

Following along, he tries not to wince at the tightness of his trousers. Scaling stairs is, apparently, not the thing to do when you've just been busy getting... passionate. He's had embarrassing situations before, naturally, as he's been assured goes for every man with at least a glimmer of virility. But as opposed to those situations when he feels mostly ridiculous about his lack of self-restraint, right now there's... a sense of urgency, too. An expectation, though he's got no idea whether Claude wants to... to...

Taking two steps at a time and trying not to bump into Claude on the way, he scowls at himself and his own stupidity. The man's just been... been showing him quite obviously what he wants to do. He's hardly inviting him up for a game of cards, now is he? Not that Vincent would know, right, seeing as the most exciting thing he gets up to on a daily basis is discovering and rectifying sets of numbers that don't match up. Christ. He swallows, running a hand through his hair, fingers close to gripping the strands on their way.
thecountofthree: (one traveler long I stood)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
He steps inside and shuts the door, his fingers trembling as he turns the key. Can’t blame it entirely on the cold, either, can he, what with heat spreading through his body with increasing persistence. Though the steps were harsh on his… his arousal from their doings in the alleyway, they haven’t truly killed it to any noticeable degree. From all those sweaty nights, he knows quite well that it’s not even as hard as it could be – but it’s making his movements just a bit stiff, regardless, as he turns back towards Claude, the door safely locked behind him. Following the other man’s movements, the flames lightening up the room with that particular abruptness only reserved for fire (in whichever incarnation), he stands still, hands clenching an unclenching by his sides.

Make yourself comfortable, he said. Well, please. Comfortable is what he’d like to be but the road to getting there… He swallows again, reaching up to loosen his collar somewhat, feeling choked up and overheated. Without another word, he shrugs out of his coat and hangs it away to the side. It’s like a replica of his last visit, only not at all. How many times hasn’t he seen this very room, emerging through the darkness of his dreams with all its coloured lamps and the expanses of floor clearing away his mental barriers? And with all of Paris, stretching beyond the windows? How many times, indeed. It doesn’t exactly help him now.

As Claude loosens his bowtie, Vincent finally catches up with his body in full and consequently, the situation too. If he wanted to fool himself into thinking that this was merely politeness on Claude’s part once again, he’d have no legs to stand on to maintain the illusion any longer. Instead, he very stiffly removes his dinner jacket, too, the faded black satin cool and soft between his fingers. His shirt feels very white all of a sudden, the simple, dark-green vest properly buttoned up, yet slightly loose around his frame. It’s always the same between spring and summer – once winter’s finally release its grip on the world, it takes his body a bit of time to replenish itself. Not that it matters right now, what with Claude being… right there, possibly more than ready to… He steps closer, if nothing else then to take advantage of the heat slowly filling up the room.
thecountofthree: (the better claim)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
He watches almost without blinking as Claude crosses over to him, taking the jacket from him and leaving it on the bed, every movement a testament to the gentle grace seemingly inherent to him. Christ, what a voice, too. He looks back at the armchair, wondering for a moment if he’ll ever get up if he sits down like this – all strung up, his cock growing harder and harder between his legs. Shifting from foot to foot, he finally just. Turns away and shuffles over to the chair, trying not to wince as the fabric of his breeches scratch against his skin. Itchy cotton – but better than nothing, naturally. Imagine that. Sitting down, he undoes his bowtie somewhat more swiftly, going on habit rather than anything else. It’s always one of the first items he discards at night and not just because it’s the logical thing to do. He hates wearing it; if it wouldn’t be completely scandalous, he’d never wear anything around his neck ever. He’s thought about ascots… as if he needs to bait his mother any further than he already does, simply by being who he is.

Expression a bit flat, he pushes every thought of his family and daily life away, focusing instead on Claude as he spreads out a flock of sheep – or what’s left of them, anyway – on the floor by the fireplace. His feet start to tingle immediately. Lord, they look so comfortable… And warm, too. He’s seen lots of sheepskins in the country, of course, whenever they’ve visited his father’s extended family. Usually (but not exclusively) attached to the sheep in question. But they’ve never actually owned any because those kinds of expenses would be ludicrous, considering his father’s income. Almost subconsciously, he toes out of his shoes – Claude did tell him to make himself comfortable and if those skins aren’t meant to warm his feet, then truly nothing is.

Whether they’re meant to warm other parts of him too… that’s the better question, isn’t it? I’ll be all yours, he said. And right now, sheepskins included, Vincent honestly can’t think of a single thing he’d rather have.
thecountofthree: (yellow wood)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
It takes him longer than it should, perhaps, to realise that he’s being watched. Truth be told, he’s too busy watching - because Claude may have a beautiful body in general, regardless of his state of dress but Vincent isn’t a fool. The past many nights, he’s been staring himself blind from his spectator seat, not at a fully-dressed and proper man but at a semi-naked god. And as Claude reveals his upper body, each layer of fabric shed without any traces of hesitation (the confidence, he thinks, of a man who doesn’t need to flaunt his riches), he finds himself almost transfixed by the sight of him. The golden layer of his costume has been rinsed away, of course, but even without it, there’s a tint of colour to his skin that Vincent’s white complexion couldn’t attain even with the right kind of summer exposure. Pausing, he sits back without truly thinking, eyes narrowing very slightly in the darkness as he takes him in – the flat expanses of skin, stretched out effortlessly over the pronounced muscles in his chest and upper arms. Though every male dancer on stage has a special sort of bodily appeal for the way they train themselves – yes, he’s been looking, he couldn’t help it – Claude’s… there’s something different about him. Still. Objectively speaking, not just because Vincent’s trousers are getting tighter by the second.

Realising exactly what Claude’s looking at, Vincent shifts hurriedly forward, a rush of colour spreading in his face again. Is it wrong of him, sitting here, mostly dressed when Claude’s quite obviously… ? Without meaning to (or maybe not), his gaze shifts downwards to Claude’s trousers, the bulge between his legs visible beneath his breeches. The sight – and the thought that follows – makes him pause with his hands clutching his knees, fingers digging in with almost painful force. All he can think is that this is perfect – this is what he’s always… Except in his dreams, he knew exactly what to do and how to proceed, whereas now… Looking away, he fingers the buttons on his vest, movements sloppy and uncoordinated as he works them open one at a time. Shrugging out of it, he leaves it on the chair, beyond caring enough to treat it with respect. It’s old, it’s worn, it’s basically dead.

Shirt falling more loosely around his body, he finally toes out of his socks. The floor is cool beneath his feet but he’s too busy returning his hungry gaze to the half-naked man in front of him to care. His mind is already running ahead of him, his body yearning to touch, to grip and to hold and to… to… With a frown, he tears his gaze away and gets to work on his shirt, getting about three buttons down before he’s got to take a break, breathing and fingers working too fast, out of step.
thecountofthree: (if I should ever come back)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude steps in, takes over without any presumptions. His hands are warm, broad and steady on top of his, and Vincent feels the way his breath catches in his throat once more, eyes following the lines, the very light curves of Claude’s shoulders. Down, down, over the expanses of his chest and if he… if he had the courage, he could reach out now, he could touch him just like that. Instead, he sits perfectly still as Claude opens his shirt, the cold from the room dispelled by the feel of Claude’s proximity, first and the fire, second. The singlet underneath certainly doesn’t do much of anything except itch, but Vincent doesn’t take what little shelter it provides from the cold for granted, either. It’s better than nothing. And when Claude leans in and kisses him, ‘better’ suddenly gains a whole new potential.

It’s not a hesitant kiss, either. To be truthful, ‘hesitant’ probably isn’t a word one should associate with Claude in general, though his quiet attitude and calm approach to people might fool someone less inclined to care. Leaning in, he reaches up with one hand and runs his hand over Claude’s neck, fingers slipping down over his collarbone and digging into his shoulder. It’s a grip, nothing less. And Claude’s body, his every signal actually, is saying quite clearly – hold on as much as you like. He’s never thought about it before but truly, this is something very unique to men. This altogether physical sort of strength, the kind that would only make a woman look foolish and contrived in comparison.

Deciding that some initiative might just be more proper than sitting back like a blushing virgin, Vincent shrugs out of his shirt, managing not to break the kiss in the process. Then, with all the reluctance of a man thirsting for more, he draws away and meets Claude’s eyes with something a little closer to self-possession. The natural self-confidence that he’s always exhibited in all other matters of life lingering just beneath the surface.

“Please…” He takes a quick breath, not enough to do much besides leave his voice a few keys too light. “Let me get this off.” With that, he leans out of Claude’s personal space as much as he can bear (eyes flickering past the bulge in his trousers once more because it’s right there, he really can’t just…) and pulls the singlet over his head, taking only a few seconds to fold it and drop it in a pile on the floor along with the vest and the shirt.
Edited 2015-12-06 18:14 (UTC)
thecountofthree: (just as fair)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 07:07 pm (UTC)(link)
He can feel the way Claude’s watching him and as he looks up to meet his eyes, he’s met with the sight of his breeches, untied and well on their way down his hips.

For a long moment, it feels like he can’t breathe.

Though he’s been trying not to think about it too carefully (and failing, naturally, as is his way in these matters), Vincent’s definitely considered this more than once – how the bulge beneath Claude’s dancing garments has always seemed so very pronounced, almost sordidly so. While it started out as something very shocking and… overwhelming, he’s later come to associate the ballet and its well-endowed male silhouettes with a special sort of freedom. Something to look at, as if doing so were altogether common place. However, it’s seemed… rather obvious to him that Claude would have to be… well. He is, obviously. Eyes eating it up, his big, hardened cock, the spread of pubic hair running up to his navel, he feels his own body respond – a deep, heavy sensation of warmth, spreading through his abdomen, every last inch of him well and truly affected. He wants to… it’s…

Jaw setting, he rises from his seat as Claude settles down on the sheepskins. He does note how the other man leaves him room to join but even if he hadn’t, Vincent wouldn’t really have cared - all he can think is that were he to lie on the cold, hard floor, it wouldn’t deter him from getting his hands on that magnificent man. The underlying fear – the shame, the knowledge that he ought to feel humiliated by his own, despicable mind – is forced to the background by something much stronger, much hotter and more instinctual than anything he’s ever felt before. Closing the distance between them, he pauses only to untie his trousers and slide them down his hips, the material pooling around his feet as he steps out of them with smooth, fluid movements. He may have been clumsy and stiff throughout the evening but surely… surely, this is not the time to fight what’s already there. Clearly, this… whatever it is – clearly, it’s settled beneath his bones in a way that can’t be undone or ignored, even if everything else is uncharted territory. Very uncharted and oh God, he mustn't think about it.

Settling down carefully next to Claude, undoing his breeches singlehandedly and leaving them gaping around his hips, he ignores the chill of anxiety raking down his back and leans in again, pressing his lips against Claude’s with enough force to channel away most (if not all) of his nervous energy.
thecountofthree: (miles to go)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude pulls him down on top of him and it’s the best thing he’s ever experienced (sure to be topped by other things, yes, he’s got no doubts at all), the feel of his hard body stretched out beneath his own. In his dreams, he’s always wanted to… to take charge. Over this – this side of himself and to some extent, the man he’s been admiring from afar for so long, as he’s swept his heart with him both on stage and beyond the closing curtains. It’s an odd thing, realising that at least some aspect of his brain has always known. Despite his trepidation, it’s – he’s - always known.

Letting himself drown in Claude for real, pressing his tongue in between his lips and going with the pace, he takes his time to indulge. There’s no way back – instead, he’s got multiple paths forward, all of them worth exploring. Claude’s mouth is warm and tastes of the night they’ve both enjoyed, the warmth of his body translated effortlessly into the wetness of his mouth. Breathing in deeply, he pulls back just for a second, just to move his arm enough to entwine his fingers in Claude’s hair, once more tightening to a grip. Where as he’s been grasping at empty air all evening, suddenly his hand is full – and isn’t it just a miracle? Definitely feels like it.

Claude slides his hand down his neck and onto his shoulder, the touch making his skin break out in goose bumps despite the heat seemingly burning him up from the inside out. There’s a soft groan right at the back of his throat and he lets it out, shifting slightly on top of the other man. It doesn’t happen on purpose, really – the way he accidentally presses his hips downwards, Claude’s hard cock sliding up against his through the fabric of his breeches. The sensation is – is… Freezing, he draws away from the kiss only by an inch, lips hovering right above Claude’s, close enough to leave their breaths ghosting across each other’s mouths. A different sort of kiss. Then, he presses his hips downwards with a lot more intent, the feeling of Claude’s length rubbing up against his making his body positively ache for more.
Edited 2015-12-06 20:26 (UTC)
thecountofthree: (sorry I could not travel)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-06 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude sounds amazing, gasping against his neck. He’s losing his mind in all of this and it’s utter bliss, a way beyond his dark and dreary life that he’s never truly dared to hope that he’d find. Hips jerking forward as Claude meets his thrust, he’s already feeling the hindrance of his breeches when Claude pushes a hand down his stomach. And further. Breath leaving his throat like a moan this time, low and raspy, he keeps still for a second as Claude’s fingers close around the shaft of his cock. He’s got nothing to compare to, except for his own hand and that certainly can’t compare in any shape or form. Claude’s hand is steady still and so hot, almost overwhelmingly so, and instinctually he wants to thrust into his palm, to… to get more, much more.

Then, Claude’s words break through the haze of pleasure threatening to permanently cloud up his judgment. He’s speaking into his neck, basically, lips moving across his skin and it’s another sort of touch, yet another. He exhales shakily, drawing back enough to reach down with his other hand, fumbling with the hem for a second or two before figuring out the angle. With a sharp jerk, he pulls his breaches away from his hips, his cock springing free, head pressed up against his abdomen. Sitting back (Claude’s hand slipping away from his cock and what a terrible lack, what torture), he manages to get them off the rest of the way, completely unimpressed with his own athletics and very much beyond caring, too.

Refusing to allow his brain to catch up with him now, he leaves his breeches lying in a pile on the floor out of sight and shifts right back. Too caught up in his body, he’s almost shocked at the feel of Claude’s naked body against his bared legs and lower body, every sensation tripled in intensity and his cock positively hard as a rock. God. It’s… It’s… Gaze searching out Claude’s, he pauses, arms keeping his body hovering at least some inches above his. Enough to leave the head of Vincent’s cock brushing against his, a mere implication of what it could be. What it’s going to be.

“Is this…” He pauses. Reaches up with one hand slowly, fingers slipping into Claude’s hair once more. “Is this right?”
thecountofthree: (one traveler long I stood)

[personal profile] thecountofthree 2015-12-07 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Claude’s voice comes last – following the touch of his lips against his jaw, his hair soft against Vincent’s brow and his breath hot. Eyes falling shut, Vincent feels himself blush harder than ever, his hand tightening slightly in Claude’s hair. Perfect, he says. Perfect. The word reverberates inside his mind, very much a singularity amidst what feels like heaps of disapproval and disregard. He never complains because life is what it is – but with Claude lying right here, presenting such a different view, such a fantastical one, he can’t help the sense of overwhelming relief. If someone like this would… then surely, he’s not quite as wrong as his daily existence might imply. Surely not.

About to lean down and kiss him once more, having already realised that he’ll never get enough of Claude’s amazing mouth, he pauses at the feel of Claude’s hand slipping down between them. Heading in just the right direction too, though if he really… Christ, he can’t… Eyes snapping open, he gasps out loud as Claude wraps his fingers around his cock, realising very late indeed that he’s… grasping the both of them. Leaving them rubbing against each other, an almost maddeningly soft slide of skin on skin. His fingers feel so good, his palm hot and tight… It’s a wholly instinctual thing (natural), falling into step with him and Vincent’s rocking his hips back and forth before he knows it, thrusting into his grip.

“Oh – oh, Claude, that’s perfect, that’s so… good…” His words are broken up by his shattered breathing, eyes still closed and sweat forming on his brow. The heat from the fire only adds to the overall sensation of nearness, of being so very close to someone else, to this particular man. Of being encased. Pleasure rushing down the shaft of his cock with every move of his lower body, he reaches down blindly and rests his palm over Claude’s hand, a mirror of his actions earlier when Vincent’s hands couldn’t quite manage his shirt or the consequences. This time, however, there’s no insecurity left – just that odd sort of assertiveness again, the unconscious realisation that this is right, this is exactly right and he knows what to do to make it work.

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