Spell Break: Part 8

Another Monday, another episode.

When last we left our intrepid heroes...well, you know you can just catch up if you click the label in the side bar.  If you haven't been following along, that is.  

Enjoy! 

8

            Frustrated didn’t even begin to accurately describe what Jason was feeling these days.  He’d sort of hit a plateau with his magical learning.  Kelly swore this was normal and that he needed a few days rest, but Jason was convinced if he kept pushing, he’d be able to sustain the magical energy that seemed to come so easily to Kelly, Liam, and Mary.  It was something that accompanied every complex spell and Jason had seen the colors to prove it.  But Jason couldn’t manage to reach that level and it was frustratingly annoying.

            And, on top of that, there was the whole Kelly situation.  He’d said they could take it slowly and he had meant it, but he hadn’t thought that it would be this slow.  Molasses in January moved faster than Kelly was right now.  Jason had thought there would have been at least kisses and some heavy petting by now.  But no.
           Nothing more than bone deep, tight hugs and a bit of cuddling on the couch.  Not that Jason was opposed to those things.
           The hugs were incredibly nice and very grounding in and of themselves.
           He was frustrated with the fact that Kelly thought it would be better if he were staying somewhere else.  Liam’s had been suggested but it didn’t seem like a very good idea as Jezebel wanted to eat Strix and Strix did not want to be eaten.  Jason had, instead, moved into Mary’s guest room.  He adored that woman.  She was funny and warm and had given him a not quite full time job at Beans, which was infinitely more fun than working reception at a dental clinic had been.  Strix and Henry got on like a house on fire and talking with Mary in the evenings before they settled down for the night was one of his favorite things.  She provided insight into her brother when Jason had gotten aggravated enough to talk to her about it. 

            “I don’t think he knows quite what to do with you,” Mary had said conspiratorially.  “You threw him for a loop that day; by taking his past in stride and being bluntly sexual.  He’s trying to find his balance again.”

            And that, right there, frustrated Jason the most.  Kelly was mostly back to his instructive, informative, and somewhat evasive self.  He lectured for hours on end about the practicalities of magic and whatever other topic he thought Jason should know.  And if Jason tried to steer the conversation into some other topic, something that Kelly didn’t want to talk about, he saw that part of Kelly resurface.  Kelly gently and firmly avoided answering directly and the conversation went back to whatever Kelly wanted to talk about.  Jason thought that, perhaps, Kelly was hoping he’d get frustrated enough to give up on them.

            That was sure as hell not going to happen.

            So, Jason went along with what Kelly wanted, learning what he taught and listening to his lectures.  Kelly had begun to give him a suspicious glare whenever this happened.  But Jason just smiled as serenely as he knew how and went on practicing as Kelly saw fit.

            It was in the fourth week of his new existence that Jason finally managed to wrap Kelly in a binding spell, his own colored energy source reaching out to envelop Kelly’s body.  They both stared down at the magic in awe.

            “You did it, Jay!”

            Jason stared at it, dumfounded.  “It’s pink.’

            “I’m so proud of you!  See?  I told you that you could do it!”

            “It’s pink,” Jason repeated dumbly.

            Kelly gave a little laugh.  “So?”

            “It’s pink, Kelly!  Yours is a deep, vibrant purple.  Liam’s got a dark navy blue.  Mary’s is an elegant turquoise.  Even the bad guys had blues and greens.  I’ve got pink!” 

            Kelly gave it a speculative assessment before he lifted his face and looked Jason directly in the eye.  “It’s more of a mauve, don’t you think?  Or perhaps a dusty rose?”

            “Fuck.  You,” Jason spat.  His agitation caused his concentration to waver and the spell broke apart.  The energy dissipated in a pink cloud of dust.  He threw himself angrily to the ground, curling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. 

            “Hey,” Kelly said quietly, coming to sit beside him.  Kelly’s arm wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him close.  Jason was helpless against the feel of Kelly’s body.  He had to lean in, had to lay his head on Kelly’s broad shoulder.  This was where he always wanted to be and if a little show of petulance got him there, well then, he’d have to remember that.  “What’s so upsetting about it being pink?”

            Jason sighed heavily and burrowed a little deeper into Kelly.  His voice was muffled against Kelly’s neck when he said, “Does my magic really have to advertise that I’m gay?”

            Kelly gave a soft laugh and his hand started that soothing rub down his spine that made Jason turn into a pile of goo.  “It does no such thing.  Pink is traditionally the color of unconditional love and understanding.  Pink is a very good color.”

            “Well, when you put it like that…” Jason trailed off, sat up a little, and shook his head, a wry sort of smile crossing his lips.  “Nope, still feels like my magic is mocking me.”

            “But you are gay,” Kelly said quietly, his gaze fixed on Jason’s lips.  “And I’m happy about that.”

            “Kelly,” Jason croaked.  He watched Kelly’s pupils dilate, practically swallowing up the hazel.  Kelly’s breathing grew a little rougher as his hand slid off Jason’s shoulder to trail down his chest.  Jason had to bite back a moan and swallow hard before he could gasp out, “don’t look at me like that unless you mean it.”

            “I mean it,” Kelly growled and lunged.

            Jason found himself flat on his back on the mat with Kelly’s big body hovering over him.  Kelly’s hand came up to grip his face gently as he ever so carefully and deliberately lowered his body.  Jason’s thigh parted to accommodate Kelly’s hips, his own body straining upward in desperate need of contact.  There was a moan as they connected from chest to thighs.  Jason wasn’t sure whether he made the sound or if Kelly had, but it didn’t matter.  This felt right.  The hard planes and soft contours that made up Kelly’s body fit perfectly against his own.  And then Kelly was lowering his head.

            Slow and sensual, Kelly’s lips touched his, gently teasing them apart, asking for permission.  Jason whimpered a little at that first touch of tongue.  Finally, after all this time of waiting and wanting, he had Kelly just where he needed him to be.  The heat in the kiss ratcheted up as Kelly became more demanding, forcing his tongue inside to taste and explore.  Jason wiggled his hips, he couldn’t help it, seeking the friction his cock desperately needed.  When he felt his own hard length slide against Kelly’s through their sweats, Jason had to rip his mouth away and throw his head back to moan.

            None of his other experiences could compare to this.  Before it had always been about a quick one off; come and leave.  But Jason knew Kelly well, after nearly five weeks of talking, and it made this feel like so much more.  Even lying on the floor both still fully clothed, Jason was on the edge of release.  He needed Kelly with a desperation he’d never felt.  And this slow, sensual frottage was going to be enough to bring him off, just because it was Kelly’s big body that was pressing into him, Kelly’s lips on his throat and his hands on his body. 

            “Oi!  You two, knock it off!”

            Liam’s voice shattered the quiet of the room and Jason jerked in shock.  Kelly didn’t seem particularly perturbed.  His body stopped moving and he lifted his head, but Kelly didn’t bother to get off of Jason.  He simply lay on him and shot Liam a quick smile.

            “There better be a damn good reason for your interruption,” Kelly said almost conversationally.  Jason stared at him in shock.  Here he was, a panting quivering mess, and Kelly was acting like it was a normal conversation?  Did that mean he wasn’t as effected as Jason was?

            “Genevieve is coming in with a group of prisoners.  Tried to stage a coup in her territory.  She doesn’t have the holding cells; we do.”

            “Damn,” Kelly said succinctly.  He dropped his head to Jason’s shoulder and blew out a breath.  Then he looked up at Liam again.  “All right, we’ll be there in a few minutes.”

            Liam shot them a knowing smirk.  “She’ll be here in twenty.  That’s not enough time to get him off and get to the cells.”

            “Out!”

            Liam went  with a chuckle and Kelly turned his attention back to Jason.  For a panicked moment, Jason thought he saw regret in Kelly’s eyes and he wrapped both arms and legs around the bigger man so that Kelly couldn’t get away.  Kelly just laughed and gave a little thrust of his hips that caused Jason’s breath to catch.

            “I’m sorry we got interrupted, but this is a big deal.  We don’t often have to deal with this kind of thing but Genevieve is the leader of the other coven in Boulder and we’re close allies.  We have to help her out.”

            Jason nodded and slowly released his hold.  Kelly’s eyes went dark again for a moment and he dropped his head to quickly and thoroughly kiss the stuffing out of Jason.  When he was done, Jason was once again panting and boneless and Kelly’s smile was smug when he stood.

            “Come on.  You can help.  And then when we’re done, we’ll pick this back up.  Properly.  In a bed.”

            Jason was quick to take the proffered hand and stand up. The sooner they got this done, the sooner he could get fucked.

            It was in the small hours that Jason and Kelly finally made it home.  They bypassed the house entirely, dragging themselves to the backyard.  Jason fought with the latch on the side gate.  Exhaustion made his fingers clumsy and it was a stubborn thing anyway.  Finally, Kelly nudged him aside gently, did some sort of trick that Jason had yet to master, and got the gate open. It was a relief to sink down at the base of the alder and even nicer not to have any pretenses between them as they wrapped up in each other.

Kelly had been amazing. He had walked in and took absolute command of the situation. They both expended a great deal of magical energy; Kelly on the interrogations and Jason on feeding Kelly his own magic to keep Kelly’s power level high. And Kelly had masterfully figured out exactly what was going on, expertly separating the instigators from the followers and allowing those who had no choice to request sanctuary.

            Jason had been paying attention during the whole process and he still didn’t know the criteria Kelly had used. There were some people he hadn’t even looked at twice before he bound them in magic and tossed them in a cell.

            Kelly’s body shifted beneath his, settling Jason more firmly in his arms. Jason sighed contentedly. There was nothing more peaceful than sitting under this tree wrapped up in Kelly’s arms.

            He was so relaxed that when the thought popped in his brain it slid right out of his mouth. “They didn’t have familiars.”

            “Hmm?” Kelly sounded half-asleep.

            “The ones is that were the leaders, causing all the trouble. They didn’t have familiars,” Jason repeated, turning the idea over in his mind. “Neither did Damian or the guy that attacked me.”

            Kelly was quiet for a long somewhat tense moment before he said slowly, “You’re right.”

            Jason knew that tone. That was Kelly not wanting to talk about whatever Jason had brought up. But he’d learned over the last month that a little waiting, and maybe a little pushing, could get Kelly to answer.

            “I didn’t notice before,” Jason said conversationally after the silence stretched on a little too long. “You think I would have considering that all the practitioners I see always have a familiar hanging on them. Strix is consistently right with me. But now that I think about it, the bad guys don’t have them.”

            “You’re not wrong,” Kelly said after a short pause.

            Jason nodded, let this sit there for a moment, then took a deep breath and asked, “Is there reason for that?”

            Kelly sighed and Jason had to hide a smirk. He knew that sound. It was the “you need to know this but I hate talking about it” sound. Jason gave a little wiggle and settled into wait. Kelly would explain eventually.

            Finally, Kelly spoke. “It’s simple really. Animals are pure. Familiars even more so. The bond between a practitioner and their familiar is soul deep. And if the practitioner’s soul is corrupt, then…” Kelly trailed off.  Jason felt him take a deep breath before he continued his thought. “It kills the familiar.”

            “Sweet Jesus!” Jason breathed out. That would be incentive enough to keep him on the straight and narrow. He couldn’t imagine his life without Strix in it. Just the thought of it made Jason stomach clench in dread.

            Kelly must have felt the tension in his body that the thought had caused.  His arms tightened and he placed a warm kiss on Jason’s temple.  He didn’t let go until Jason relaxed some.

            “You don’t ever have to worry about that, Jay.  You’re a genuinely good person.  There’s no way you could turn dark enough to kill Strix.  It’s just not possible.  I should know.  I almost lost Nola.”

            The despair in the way Kelly said that had Jason turning quickly and engulfing Kelly’s body with arms and legs.  The bigger man sat rigid for a moment before he let out a shuddering breath and held Jason just as tightly.  Jason murmured soothing noises in Kelly’s ear and rubbed gentle hands over his big shoulders. 

            “After I killed Gray,” Kelly’s voice was so quiet that Jason had to strain to hear.  “I could feel her slipping away.  That was enough for me to quit working for the Tribunal.  I moved home after that.  It took her months to forgive me.”

            Jason’s heart broke with the confession.  He had to assume that Gray was Kelly’s lover, Kelly had never given Jason his name, and he knew how much courage it took for Kelly to admit that.  He hadn't wanted to dig for information about this with Kelly; he thought Kelly had a hard enough time with it as it was.  He was honored that Kelly felt he could share this with him.  He felt it was better to say nothing at all, to show Kelly with his body and lips just how much he appreciated the honesty.  And that even this confession couldn’t drive him away.

            Things turned heated quickly and it was a moment later that Jason found himself flat on the ground, Kelly’s big body pressing him into the soft earth.  And also the rock lodged beneath his shoulder blade.

            “How about we move this to the bed like we talked about earlier?” Jason murmured softly. 

            Kelly’s body went tense.  “About earlier—“

            “No,” Jason denied fast, clutching at the man’s shoulders.  “I’m not going to let you regret that or take it back.”

            Kelly gave him a soft smile, a sound kiss, and a little chuckle.  “I don’t and I’m not.  I just wanted to say I was sorry that I pounced on you like that.”

            “I didn’t mind.”

            That earned Jason a playful kiss.  “No, I know.  It’s just, I was all stand offish and holding back and then, without warning or discussion, I shifted gears on you.  That wasn’t fair.”

            Jason cocked his head to the side, studying the face he was coming to appreciate more than any other.  Kelly was absolutely serious.  He stifled a laugh and reached up to trace the bridge of Kelly’s nose.  Kelly’s eyes slid shut and he let out a little whimpering moan.  It was the sexiest noise Jason had ever heard. 

            “I told you we’d go at your pace, Kel,” Jason said breathily.  “I’ve been ready and waiting.”

            Kelly laughed a joyful sound that echoed for a brief moment around the backyard.  Then with a suddenness that Jason wasn’t prepared for and caused him to give a very unmanly squeak, Kelly stood, scooping Jason up with the motion.  He clung to Kelly’s shoulders and hips, desperate not to fall.  He should have known Kelly wouldn’t allow that to happen.

            “Then I think it’s time for bed.”


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