Love Bites (Zach)

Ever since meeting Zachariel a couple months ago, Nowe had been spending more and more time thinking about the Angel. He'd even spent time going through student records until he'd come across the Angel's name and had learned what he could from the information in his file...and the files of his siblings. Zach had stopped by the house on several occassions and they'd spent time talking or watching television together. Nowe found himself opening up to Zach in a way he never had anyone else, except maybe Evelyn or Victor. But even that was different. He wanted Zach to know him. And he wanted to know Zach. It had taken several weeks before they were comfortable enough around each other for Zach to invite him to meet his family. Nowe was, admittedly, not quite sure he wanted to meet them but could also see no good reason to disagree. So he'd gone over and been introduced to several of Zach's 'siblings' and was welcomed with relatively open arms.

He did find it odd that he still hadn't properly met Zach's twin, Brio. The Life angel always seemed to be busy any time Nowe happened by. The one time he had seen the Life angel, he was already on his way to...whatever business he had to tend to and had his back to them. Though Zach had called out to him, Brio hadn't turned around and just kept walking. He and Zach had discussed Brio's odd behavior only once and the only thing Nowe could think to say was that perhaps Zach's twin was jealous of the time they were spending together. It hadn't seemed to appease Zach and Nowe had let the subject drop and not brought it up again. They continued to spend time together, doing things like watching television or sparring when they were in the mood for something more active. And the more time they spent together, the more Zach seemed to occupy Nowe's thoughts and the more Nowe realized he was attracted to the Angel. Not that he felt comfortable admitting it to Zach. He had no idea what Zach might think about such an admission since that wasn't something they'd ever really talked about. He wasn't sure what Zach's preferences were and all his family (mostly Twister, Heart and Patch who didn't seem to mind answering questions and who seemed to guess a lot of things Nowe hadn't admitted to) would say was that he hadn't dated for a long time. When questioned further, they clammed up and told him to ask Zach.

Today found the Vampire and the Angel sprawled across Zach's bed watching a movie like your typical human teenage boys. Zach had some munchies strewn in front of him and Nowe was enjoying watching the Angel more than the movie, a fact that hadn't been lost on Zach who had given him a curious look but said nothing. When the movie was over, Nowe rolled over so he was lying on his back and closer to the angel and smiled up at him. "I think I've watched more television and movies in the past month and a half than I have in the past twenty years combined." He admitted, with a slight chuckle, and a shake of his head. Zach had introduced him to movies and television shows he'd never even known existed. His smile faded a little as his gaze shifted unbidden to Zach's neck and Nowe felt the faint stirrings of hunger. He hadn't yet figured out a way to bring the subject up but he wanted to taste Zach. Maybe today he'd bring the question up...as soon as he figured out how to ask it.

Zach had to admit that days like today were what made going to that blasted school worth it. Sprawled out on the bed with what was quickly becoming one of his closest friends, the Fae was watching the screen with bright eyes, occasionally laughing at whatever antics were going on in the movie. Sure, every once in a while he would feel eyes on him and he would tilt his head to spy Nowe peering up at him, but since it didn't seem like he wanted to say anthing or needed something, he simply shrugged and went back to his show. A hand absentmindedly trailed around on the bed until he found his bag of sour gummi worms, and he couldn't quite muffle the happy sound when he pulled out one of his favorite ones. He patted the bed again until he found the remote, but paused in changing the channel when his friend looked at him again with a smile, which always drew out a smile of the Angel's own for reasons he wasn't sure of. "Yeah? I can almost say the same... We only recently got cable." A hand was waved towards the screen somewhat vaguely and he nestled down on the bed a bit more with a content noise. "But did you like it? That was one of my favorite movies, if I have to have one." Because really, who didn't love Despicable Me?

"Nowe, I want a freeze ray. And a squid launcher!" He said with a laugh, about to look back to the screen when he noted that the other's smile seemed to deflate some. Tilting his head a bit (unknowingly showing the Vampire more of his neck), he gave a soft noise of question. "What? Something wrong?" They hadn't talked about their hungers much, other than the occasional 'I'm hungry' that the Angel would say. He wasn't even sure if Nowe was aware that he had a hunger similar to the other's... That wasn't exactly a conversation starter, though he knew his friend wouldn't mind in the least. It probably would just be another thing to bring them closer, if anything. And of course he was aware that the other got thirsty at times; he just always assumed that he had ways of sating it. That and he wasn't sure if Nowe had seen his fangs. The tiny ones that descended from their hiding spot when he got thirsty or when he got too angry. Sometimes they even showed when he was in enough pain.

The boy blinked a bit to get his mind back on track and he gave the other a slight, questioning smile. Hopefully he hadn't done or said anything wrong but there was always going to be that paranoia.

"I've had cable, I've just never watched much of it." Nowe admitted, absently wondering what attracted Zach to the snacks he'd been nibbling on during the show. Of course, he could wonder about the appeal all he wanted, he'd never be able to try them himself and not for the first time since meeting Zach he wondered if he was missing out by not being able to eat actual food. Of course, the question wasn't one he could really answer. He'd spent more time watching Zach than the movie. But instead of admitting that, he nodded. " It was...different. I'll admit I probably wouldn't have watched it if you hadn't made me." Which wasn't a bad thing. He'd come to the conclusion he needed to watch more television and not just to catch up on the events of the world and make sure he was acting appropriately for the time they were living in.

"What would you need a freeze ray for? And what purpose would a squid launcher serve? I'd much rather have another day like this one than have something I'd have no real use for." He admitted before he could think about what he was saying. Luckily, the comment could be something one friend might say to another and not be meant in the way Nowe had. Of course, Zach had to go and move his head ever so slightly and Nowe had to move his gaze away from the tempting pulse he could see just under the angel's skin. "Not really. I'm just...thirsty. That's all." He admitted, tapping at the side of his neck as if Zach might need reminding of what kind of thirst they were talking about. Of course, this would also be the first time Zach would have heard Nowe say such a thing. He had no idea how Zach might react to the comment and shrugged it off as if it were no big deal, which it really wasn't. "Don't worry though. It's not like I'm going to go crazy and attack you or anything. You just shifted a bit and your neck was exposed. It distracted me for a second. It would happen to any vampire." Which was about half-true, a vampire that was happy with animal blood or bagged blood would be less tempted than a vampire that drank human or fae blood.

So, now that he had an opening....did he take it or did he wait and see what Zach said. He thought about it a moment but decided to let Zach take the initiative. Maybe he'd get lucky and Zach would make the offer and Nowe wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how to ask.

While listening to Nowe, the Angel nodded and popped another of the gummi worms into his mouth, making a face at the flavor but not spitting it out. The orange and green ones were always his least favorites in the bag and he normally would pick them all out so he wouldn't run the chance of getting one later, but he forgot to do it this time. At the admission, his green orbs flickered back to meet the Vampire's blue ones, and he smiled a little. "Soooo you only watched it cause I bullied you into it?" He asked teasingly, his smile widening. "Go me for being awesome then." He nestled back against his covers a bit more with a content sound, and couldn't quite stop the laugh that escaped at the other's words. "It's not that I would -need- one or have any use for it. It would be fun. They had a lot of fun with them in the movie." He wouldn't mind playing with a freeze ray for a day. He already knew a few of his siblings who he would happily freeze to their chairs or beds. The boy's smile turned sly for a few seconds as he thought of the possibilities, but his attention was drawn back to his friend when the other answered the question he'd asked.

Oh. Thirsty. That was no big deal at all. "When was the last time you had any?" He asked casually, as if he was asking about the weather. Dealing with blood and the like was never much of a hassle for the Angel, and peered at the other when he glanced away. "And I know you wouldn't attack me. I trust you." He replied easily, the truth able to be heard in the statement. It was a fact; he had grown to trust the man by quite a bit, and he wouldn't be all too worried about the other's thirst. "It sucks though, especially if you've been without it for too long. The hunger gets bad if left alone and that pain is one you probably know to avoid by now." Maybe the Vampire would pick up on the boy speaking as if he knew by experience, but Zach wasn't quite paying attention to what he was saying at the moment. Instead, he leaned closer and tilted his head more to expose his neck for the other, peering at him out of the corner of his eye with a smile in the look. "Best to keep it under control, ja? Go ahead. I'll let you know if you take too much." He'd never let anyone but his twin drink from him before, and he briefly wondered what Brio would think of him offering like this... His twin had a habit of biting down in the exact same spot every time, which would be evident if the man ever decided to look too closely at the other side of the Fae's neck; there would be two neat little puncture mark scars, discreet enough that they wouldn't be obvious unless one knew what they were looking at. But Brio had been somewhat reclusive lately though, which bothered the boy to no end but he figured he would find out why later.

"I don't mind. And if you ever need something to hold you over until you can get your usual blood source, just ask." He closed his eyes and waited for the other to respond, a slight smile curving his lips.

Nowe made a non-committal noise when Zach teased him, though he did smile in return. "Yes, go you for being awesome. Though it does help that you're good looking too." Had he just said that out loud? Well...maybe he could pretend he was just teasing. Though what Zach being good looking had to do with the movie and their current conversation he really had no idea. He shook the comment off as if it were no big deal and briefly wondered what sort o trouble Zach would cause with a freeze ray. In all honesty....he wasn't sure he wanted to know what he might use the squid launcher for, but the freeze ray could be both useful and fun.

He canted his head a bit at the next question and considered his answer for a moment. When was the last time he'd had blood? Before he'd met Zach certainly. He could go awhile longer yet before his thirst became too much of an annoyance. But he liked to keep to a schedule of sorts if only because it worked better with the hours he tended to work. Lately though he'd been neglecting his thirst because things were going on and he hadn't really spent a lot of time trying to find someone to bite. "About four months. I could probably go another two before things got too bad." He admitted, feeling a thrill of some unknown emotion upon hearing that Zach trusted him. He didn't often hear such words and hearing them from Zach was....he wasn't exactly sure what it was but he liked knowing Zach trusted him. "I know quite well to avoid letting my thirst get the better of me. It's easier to remain hidden when you don't have to feed too closely together and you're not killing your dinner in the process. Dead humans with all their blood drained tend to draw a lot of attention." He gave no indication that Zach's words had much effect on him, though he was surprised that the Fae seemed to know what he was talking about. Not everyone could comment so idly on the intricacies of blood-hunger. Those that could were often other vampires or those that shared a similar taste. Since Zach was no vampire, that left only one other option.

He was immediately tempted to refuse Zach's offer, if only because the other seemed to think he needed blood sooner rather than later. He really would be fine and in no danger of really hurting anyone for several more weeks. But the chance to bite the Fae was also something he'd been waiting for and he didn't want to pass up the opportunity, especially when it was so openly offered. "That is a very generous offer, Reaper, danke." It was probably both a good and bad thing that Nowe had no idea Brio fed from Zach. Otherwise it might have led to a conversation that he wasn't quite ready to have. At any rate, he would keep Reaper's offer in mind. A willing blood donor that he also enjoyed spending time with? He'd be a fool to ignore such a tempting agreement. He rolled onto his side and considered his options. He could make biting seem very...intimate. He could also be exceedingly polite (and much less fun) and bite Zach's wrist. He didn't like biting someone's wrist but he considered it if only because he wasn't sure how Zach would react. But Zach was also very obviously offering his neck and that was just another one of those things one simply couldn't ignore.

He gently prodded Zach into an acceptable position, with the warning that if things were uncomfortable he should speak up and let Nowe know. "I usually feed from people who are often also lovers so I apologize if things seem....more intimate than they should. Very old habits are very hard to break." He said by way of explanation, though he was hardly very sorry. He enjoyed the idea of the intimacy involved with biting someone. The fact he was all but stealing this intimate moment from Zach just made things that much better. Once Zach had a chance to voice any complaints he might have had, Nowe offered him a fanged smile and leaned in, breathing in the scent of the Fae's skin before setting his fangs just above the pulse of Zach's jugular and biting down. He reveled in the sudden warmth of blood on his tongue and savored the taste of Zach's blood. Flickers of memory flashed behind his eyes as he drank and he drank them in the same way he took in the Angel's blood. These were glimpses into Zach's life he wouldn't get any other way and he was going to take advantage of what little he could learn from them.

As Nowe continued to talk, Zach would only nod, his head still tilted and his eyes still closed. He liked to hear the other talk, for some reason; the Vampire was intelligent, and always had a way of talking that kept the Angel intrigued. He gave a soft noise in response to Nowe's thanks and murmured a quiet, "Bitte." in response, moving a little to get a bit more comfortable as he waited. If the other took much longer in deciding whether he was going to feed from the Fae or not, there's a good chance that the boy would fall asleep there. Which wasn't a problem for him - he liked spending time with his friend, and he always felt more than safe when he was near. He apparently still retained some of his childhood instincts, in that when he felt so safe and was comfortable he would allow himself to slip into sleep. Because he was lost in a content haze more or less, he didn't pay attention to the other rolling onto his side and was very unaware of the slight dilemma the other was facing.

He allowed the man to move him around a bit, opening an eye halfway to be able to properly pay attention to what he was saying. At the mention of 'usually' feeding from lovers, the Angel felt a quick flicker of an emotion run through him, though it wasn't until much later that he would be able to put a name to it. To put it simply, he had been jealous at the time, though he hadn't had any idea about it. The warning was waved off with a vague hand motion and he gave a soft noise under his breath. "Don't worry about it." His voice was quiet, and feeling the Vampire lean in towards him, he felt his heart leap a bit, biting his lip a little with a small shiver. He knew all too well what this felt like, and there weren't going to be any complaints from the Fae at that time. Feeling the other's fangs, he gave a nearly silent noise under his breath and instinctively wrapped his arms around the man, tilting his head to expose his neck more and giving the sound again, this time it being easily recognized as a quiet moan. He shivered again and lightly ran his hands down his friend's back, biting his lip more. Why did this feel so good? It was the same reaction as he had to Brio, but it was...different somehow.

Was it because the one feeding from him wasn't his flesh and blood? That it wasn't his 'mirror' that was pressed close to him? Zach stopped trying to figure it out and let his mind slip into the pleased haze that was taking over, unaware that the other was seeing small parts of his memories. A sparring match with Shade... Being bandaged by a scolding Patch... The day he burned the entire town to the ground and left destruction... The Moon Festival his family celebrated... A memory of watching tv with Nowe and the happiness behind it from being near him... And probably many more would flash through the man's head. The Angel gave the sound again and lightly dragged his fingers along his friend's back, biting his lip harder. This was...so different... But he didn't want it to stop.

Nowe wasn't quite sure how he'd been expecting Zach to react. Some people seemed to enjoy the feeling of being fed on, others just seemed to accept it and let it go without much reaction at all. Zach's reaction was the one Nowe received most often, but then again, as he'd already told Zach, he usually fed from lovers so that wasn't surprising. He shifted slightly as the other wrapped his arms around him but made no real move to make the Fae let go. He allowed himself a mental smile (he'd have smiled properly were his mouth not otherwise occupied) at the soft moan and pressed his body closer as Zach's hands trailed down his back. Oh yes, this was exactly the reaction Nowe had been hoping for. It told him a lot about the Angel that he wouldn't necessarily have learned just by asking. Of course, Zach wasn't alone in his enjoyment of things and he might feel more than hear a soft moan echoing his own.

The memories he caught glimpses of were confusing and not exactly the grand total of Zach's life experiences. But then again, he wasn't trying to see them, nor was he exactly trying very hard not to see them. Without a firm desire for one utcome or another, the memories flickered in and out of focus and Nowe took in what he could. Unfortunately for Zach's desires, Nowe knew he couldn't just keep drinking otherwise bad things would happen. With a somewhat reluctant noise, the vampire released his hold on Zach's neck and shifted backward a bit, sliding a hand up to press against the fae's neck and keep the trickle of blood from escaping to stain the blankets beneath them. Considering Zach hadn't yet seen fit to release him (and Nowe didn't really want to) the vampire licked the remaining traces of blood from his lips thoughtfully and peered down at the fae.

Before Zach would really have time to decide if he should let Nowe go or not, the Vampire slid his free hand up and touched the Fae's cheek, almost shyly, before he leaned in again. This time, however, it wasn't the angel's neck that Nowe was after. He hesitated for a brief moment with his face less than an inch from Zach's before pressing his lips to the Fae's in a brief, curious kiss. He didn't linger, however and leaned back almost as if he was embarrassed about what he'd done, though that wasn't quite the truth. He just wasn't sure if the gesture would be accepted or not and therefore chose an expression that wouldn't give much away. "Thank you again." He said, looking thoughtful for a brief moment before speaking again. "If you don't mind I'd like to do this again some time. I quite enjoyed that." He admitted (not that it wasn't entirely too obvious) with a soft smile before snuggling down to rest his head on Zach's chest.

It was clear that Zach was starting to slip into someplace where he wouldn't quite be able to come back from immediately. Hearing the soft sound from Nowe made him gasp quietly and pull the other closer to him, all but squirming under the other as he bit his lip. Too good. This felt too good... But thankfully, he wasn't so out of it that he didn't recognize the way his body was responding to the man. Yep...he was enjoying this, alright. It was a similar reaction to how he responded to Brio, but...he never liked it enough that other places reacted as well. After a bit, it seemed as if the Vampire would pull away (he wasn't pulling as deeply as he had been when he first started) and was slowing, so the Angel couldn't help but shiver again when his friend finally pulled back enough to look at him. What Nowe would probably see first was the blush to the boy's cheeks, his gaze shy as he looked back into the blue orbs peering into his green ones.

The boy's lips parted a little, but he still made no move to release the other from his hold. Still being extremely shy about it, he allowed his fingers to trail down the other's back lightly, almost leaning into the man's touch with a shy half-smile. He liked this... And he hadn't allowed himself to be anything like this around anyone in so long it almost felt foreign. When a hand was cupped to his cheek, Zach closed his eyes and tilted his face towards the touch, one hand hesitating before lightly holding the other's hand in place. What happened next was a bit unexpected, even with how close they were being at the time. The moment the other's lips met his own, he gave a soft little breath and opened his eyes to look at the Vampire with wide eyes, the hand that was half-way holding his friend's hand going to his lips as if he wasn't sure what had just happened. He was partially in shock, if only because of the first reaction he'd wanted to give - he had wanted to kiss back but Nowe hadn't stayed close enough for him to.

To the request of doing it again, he could only nod a little, one arm staying around the man for a bit as he tried to keep from blushing more. He was still pressed kind of close to him, and apparently Nowe had liked that as much as he had. His thumb rubbed little designed on the man's back, but even as they laid there, he felt like something was missing. "Nowe..." The name was little more than a murmur, but the Angel had a gentle look in his eyes as he looked at his friend. The hand that had been touching his own lips for a bit would extend an index finger to tilt the other's face up a bit, and before he could second guess what he was doing, he softly returned the kiss that he'd been given. It was sweet, and he couldn't quite stop the smile from forming on his lips. This felt...right somehow. And as distracted as they both were at the moment, he didn't notice the footsteps starting down the hall, slowly coming towards his room...

Nowe couldn't help a smile at the shy look Zach was giving him. The only conclusion Nowe could draw was that , despite the very obvious reaction Zach's body had displayed, he hadn't quite been expecting it. Which was fun for Nowe. Usually his lovers were aware of their preferences and had experimented at least once. Zach, it seemed, never had and Nowe looked forward to seeing just how much Zach would let him get away with. And maybe, if he was lucky, he'd wear the other down and...he stopped that train of thought before it could go any farther. He wasn't even sure why he was thinking such things. Well, okay, he knew but he still didn't really want to admit it. He was still trying to figure out if he was ready to try and tackle the idea of a relationship. But damn the thought was ever so tempting, especially since he knew he enjoyed Zach's company. That and he thought Zach was amazingly attractive.

Nowe would have happily stayed curled where he was, listening to Zach's heartbeat and basking in the warmth of another body pressed close to his. He was just closing his eyes when Zach spoke to him and he shifted his head to look at him with a soft 'hmmm'. He gave a softly confused sound when Zach touched his face and tilted it up more. He wasn't sure what he expected but a kiss wasn't it. He didn't pull away, however, and instead returned the kiss, inadvertently smearing a swipe of blood across Zach's cheek when he moved his hand from the fae's neck to his face. His unoccupied hand, however, he allowed to travel, trailing lightly over Zach's arm and to his chest where he paused it a moment. He could do so many things right now but what would be acceptable he had no idea. So he left it where it was at for a moment before he lost interest in being polite and slid his hand lower, toying with the hem of Zach's shirt. Not that it stayed there for long either before sliding under the angel's shirt.

He was focused enough on the kiss that he didn't hear footsteps approaching the door, nor did he fully register the sound of the door opening. So how he heard the soft sound of feathers rustling was a mystery. But the sound of wings drew his attention and he pulled away from Zach to glance at the doorway where he found Rose standing there and staring at them.

Zach wouldn't have been able to focus on anything other than Nowe at that moment, even if he tried. He shivered from pleasure and pressed a bit closer, hesitating only a moment before deepening the kiss they were still sharing. The blood smeared on his cheek was ignored as he gave a soft happy sound, lightly digging his fingers into the man's back when he felt his hand exploring. He couldn't quite stop from jumping lightly when the other's hand trailed to the edge of his shirt, but he didn't push the Vampire back. Instead, he wiggled a little to give him more room, breaking the kiss for a moment only to gasp at the touch. "A-ah..." He leaned to kiss the other again just as deeply as before, rolling up into the touch and lightly urging the other to continue what he was doing. Which means he was completely oblivious to everything around him, giving Rose time to open the door and step in.

The female Angel opened her mouth, about to say something, when the full scene before her registered in her mind. A quiet sound escaped her as her eyes flickered from one boy to the other, and her eyebrow rose delicately for a moment before a gentle smile took over. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to let Zachariel know that the others and myself were going to step out for a few hours." Her eyes held a hint of something that wouldn't be immediately recognized, but she waved a little and pushed a little button on inside doornob, locking the door for them as she backed out again. The Death Angel turned a bright shade of red, but instead of pulling away from Nowe in embarrasment, he hid his face in the other's shoulder, hugging him close again. "Not...exactly how I wanted them to find out..." He mumbled, shaking his head a little. If his friend asked about what he meant, he would explain. Until then, he would hopefully be able to forget that his older sister had just seen him getting frisky with another guy so they could...maybe...possibly...continue what they had been doing.

Making out with Zach had not been on Nowe's list of things to do today. But it was something he'd considered doing before but had not actually gotten up the nerve to do until now. Of course, he hadn't expected to be interrupted either. He blinked owlishly at Rose when she opened her mouth and then smiled at them. What in hell did she have to smile about? He gave her a slight frown when she spoke and debated briefly if he wanted to give her some sort of witty remark. He didn't say anything, however, and merely gave her a mildly curious look when she retreated and locked the door. If they were leaving what was the point of locking the door? If no one was home no one else was going to walk in on them. Why the thoughts were chasing each other around in his head like that he had no idea. But hell, at least they were alone now and there was no one else to bother them for the next couple hours. They could have a lot of fun in a couple hours...

Nowe allowed himself a crooked half-smile as Zach buried his face in his shoulder. He hugged Zach closer and shifted so he could look Zach in the eye. "Find out about what? I don't mind them finding out about me this way." He said with a mischievous smile, leaning in and nibbling gently on Zach's ear. Clearly Rose's interruption hadn't distracted him too much. He leaned back a bit and gave Zach a soft smile. "If it bothers you though I can go. Give you time to sort things out with your family." It would be obvious he didn't want to go anywhere but whatever Zach wanted he'd do. Somehow he had a feeling Zach wasn't going to send him away. Of course, the fact he resumed his attentions by softly kissing along Zach's jawline. He wasn't sure if it was the fact he'd just taken some of Zach's blood or just part of his pent up attraction to Zach but now that he had the Angel pretty much where he wanted him he was quite happy to try and keep him there for awhile longer.

If he was honest with himself, he was seriously hoping that Nowe wouldn't ask the very question he had, his green gaze flickering between their 'normal' color and crimson for a few seconds. Instead of answering immediately, he tilted his head a bit to expose his ear more, letting his hands trail down the other's sides and resting them on his hips. "That I... I've always sorta... Liked guys..." He admitted softly, his gaze searching Nowe's when the man pulled back a bit to look at him. "Though they would have found out eventually... Especially since I really li-..." Pausing a bit to tilt his head more feeling the kiss, he shivered again and smiled a bit more. "Since I like you." There. He'd said it. It had been too many years since he'd had feelings for anyone, and he really hadn't wanted to in the first place. The last relationship he'd had ended with his love's death, and though he wasn't sure if there could even be a relationship with this Vampire, he was still afraid of the same time happening.

When Nowe mentioned leaving if Zach had wanted him, the Angel gave a soft sound of protest and looped his fingers through the other's belt loops, effectively holding him in place. "No. I don't want you to go..." His voice was extremely soft, but he was resolute about this. He didn't want the other to go too far from him, not right now. He felt oddly...vulnerable, almost like he was exposing a raw side of himself he hadn't before. Which wasn't entirely false; he'd loved before, just not anyone of his own gender. Shyly, one of the hands at the other's hip would make its way up again, searching until he found one of the Vampire's. Looking entirely as if he was unsure if it was alright, he slipped his hand into the other's, linking their fingers together and squeezing gently. This was new, and it was still a little scary. Hopefully his friend would forgive him for being a bit unsure with some things.

Nowe had guessed what Zach's answer would be. But he had still wanted to hear him say it out loud. Either because he needed to make sure he wasn't wrong or...maybe he just wanted to make Zach admit something he had probably never told anyone else before. Either way, he smiled a bit at the admission, though looking a bit shocked when he added a new confession. Though that look of shock was replaced by a soft smile and a brief kiss was placed on Zach's lips. "In case it wasn't entirely too obvious...I like you too." He admitted, though if Zach hadn't figured that out already there was something wrong with the boy.

At Zach's reaction, Nowe blinked owlishly at him and wiggled a bit at the feeling of fingers tucked securely in his belt loops. It wasn't as if he'd never been held in such a way (and he was pretty sure he could pull away if he really wanted to), he just hadn't expected that reaction from Zach. "Then I'll stay." He said, brushing a stray strand of hair away from Zach's face. He let the Fae take his hand and twined his fingers with Zach's. Of course, at this point he was thinking a bit more clearly and while he wanted to continue what they'd started, realized going too far too fast was probably a bad idea. "From what Rose said it sounds like we've got a couple hours with the house all to ourselves." He said, looking at their twined fingers for a moment. "I can think of a lot of ways to fill that time. But what do you want to do? We can continue what we started or forget it happened and watch another movie or...anything really. Your choice." He said, shifting his gaze back to Zach with a soft expression on his face. For probably the first time in his life, he was putting someone else's wants and desires before his own, doing something just to please another person. It wasn't exactly a common thing for him but Zach was a person he felt he could trust and someone he wanted to please and see happy. In short, he was falling in love and didn't realize it just yet.

Feeling the other's hand lightly grip his back relaxed the Angel a little, and another gentle smile crossed his face at the brief kiss. He kissed back while he could and gave a quiet happy sound when the hair was brushed from his face. This was very different, and he had to admit he sort of liked being held like this. He still felt quite vulnerable, but he also knew he was safe here. His eyes drifted closed and he took a moment to take inventory of the way he was feeling right then. And exactly how his body had decided to react to the other. Zach bit his lip a little and squirmed slightly, keeping Nowe close but in a way that would be easier to hide his initial reaction to the biting and the kiss from before. Because despite the fact they'd calmed slightly, he was still very much...excited. It wasn't that he was ashamed of it, he just wasn't entirely sure what exactly to do with that. In all the time he'd been with his last love, they had never actually done the deed, and frankly he wasn't sure how he would go about getting rid of the thing unless he took a cold shower. Which was very unappealing at that time.

When Nowe spoke again, he hesitated a moment, thinking over the offer while he bit his lip a little. He'd never done anything past what they'd been doing right then... What if he wasn't good enough? "I don't want to forget it happened. I just..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "I... Want to continue, but I'm worried I won't..." Trailing off, he gave the other a somewhat helpless look, hoping that the other might be able to guess what he was meaning. So he waited a little while longer before cupping a hand lightly to the back of Nowe's head and kissing him lightly again, shivering a little. "I want to try to continue a bit more... But please... Don't be too upset if I ask we stop for a little... Okay?" He didn't want to anger or offend the man, but he also didn't want to go too fast with this. Going slow was a good option at the moment, and damnit he would take his time to enjoy this.

Nowe let Zach shift and squirm, guessing his intent without needing to ask. But it wasn't like that was something that could be easily hidden. But if it made Zach feel better Nowe wasn't going to stop him. Nowe was less shy and felt no real need to move, though Zach's shifting had put them both in a more....polite position. He had no idea Zach had never done anything more than making out before. He let Zach muddle through what he wanted to say and gave an amused smile when he trailed off. "Worried you won't know what to do? That you won't be good enough?" He questioned, his smile turning playful and teasing. "I felt the same way once. A long time ago. I was still a young vampire then, but I remember what it was like." He admitted, letting Zach pull him in for a kiss, which he returned happily. "I won't be upset." Which was a half-truth. He'd be a little upset....frustrated was probably a better term, actually....but he wouldn't admit it to Zach or make Zach feel bad.

After speaking, he waited a moment to see if Zach had anything more to say and to decide how he wanted to proceed with things. Sex would be a big step, he knew that, and he expected Zach to put an end to things before they got that far. So where did that leave them? They'd already proven they enjoyed biting and kissing. So what was next from there? Their talk seemed to have given Zach time to really thing about thinks and Nowe could feel a slight tension in the angel's body that had nothing to do with arousal. Which also gave him the perfect opening for his next move. Leaning in he shifted off to one side of the Fae and gave him a nudge. "Roll over please? Or sit up. Your choice" He said, nudging the Fae again to indicate the request wasn't exactly meant to be answered with a no. Once Zach had complied one way or the other, Nowe considered his back a second before simply tugging the hem of Zach's shirt up enough to slide his hands up to the angel's shoulders. "This would be easier and more comfortable if you just took that off." He suggested, massaging the Fae's shoulders lightly at first and adding a slight pressure when Zach didn't pull away.

Of course, the vampire's hands didn't remain on Zach's shoulders. He massaged his way down the Angel's back, occasionally placing light kisses or soft bites on the Fae's skin. It was a seduction of sorts, one Zach was more than welcome to end at any time in whatever way he saw fit. Otherwise, Nowe would move on to...well...he wasn't sure yet but he would do something.

Knowing that the Vampire had more or less hit the nail on the head as far as his guesses went, the Angel merely nodded and looked down a little, giving only a soft happy sound in response to him. He wouldn't be upset. Sure, Zach had no idea that him not being the best at something like this would frustrate the other a little, but he was a Fae. He had many, many years in which to learn the ways of sleeping with someone and doing it well. Didn't stop him from being nervous still, though. As much as he tried to keep the tension from showing, his body tensed just a bit in response to his unsure thoughts, and he hadn't realized it until he was nudged. Blinking a bit at the other, he rolled slightly as he was asked, jumping slightly again when he felt hands traveling up his back. He was still tense, but he began to relax slightly feeling the massage and gave a little breath, eyes going half-lidded out of content. This was nice, and he had to agree; the shirt had to come off.

Before Nowe had the chance to put more pressure on his back, he tugged the shirt the rest of the way off, relaxing into the other and giving another breath once he felt the first kiss. Zach shivered again and gave a soft moan, and instead of moving away from it, he nestled closer. After a bit he would tangle his legs with the Vampire's, and he bit his lip a bit harder in response to what the other was doing. There was no way he would be able to stop this - it felt too good. Moving just his hips, he pressed back into the other a bit more, unknowingly urging him to do a bit more. There was a very good chance that he would just give in and let the man do whatever he wanted, if he kept what he was doing currently up, at least.

It was, perhaps, a good thing that Nowe was more of less behind Zach when he pulled his shirt off, that way Zach didn't see the way Nowe looked at him. Though maybe that wouldn't have been a bad thing? There was really no way of knowing at this point. The sounds Zach made and the way he shifted nearer told Nowe all he needed to know. Maybe Zach wasn't consciously aware of what to do but his body knew and it would react appropriately. Which was exactly what Nowe was hoping for. If he could just get past Zach's worries which were likely to put an end to things and make coaxing him into anything intimate more difficult. But Nowe could be exceedingly patient (though being patient didn't mean he wouldn't still get frustrated with Zach's nervousness at times, especially if Zach backed out at the last moment so to speak).

It might have taken a bit of coaxing and soft words of encouragement but Nowe's gentle persistence paid off. He was gentle and patient with the angel, who probably ended up with a few extra love bites by the time all was said and done.

~~*Fade to Black*~~

Feeling satisfied and more than a little lazy after his successful seduction of the Angel he now held in his arms, Nowe was more than happy to just stay right where he was and snuggle into the warmth of Zach's body. They would definitely have to repeat that at some point. He rested his head on Zach's shoulder and peered at the Fae. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask but wasn't sure how to voice the questions. How did one ask if their partner had enjoyed the experience? And how did one ask if they could do it again? Or did you just...lie there and enjoy the other's company and see if they brought things upon their own? Nowe shifted so he had a better view of the Angel's eyes. "Zach?" He paused for only a moment before deciding on a way to word what he wanted to ask. "Are we still just friends or....are we more?" He'd heard of friends with benefits. He wasn't sure what the difference was between friends with benefits and being a couple. The way he saw it, they were both people who spent time together and occasionally had sex. There was no difference. So what, exactly, were he and Zach at this point? Friends? A couple? Or nothing at all? Though it seemed an unlikely option, Zach could kick him out and say he never wanted to see him again. Of course, Nowe wouldn't let that happen without a fight. Now that he was sure there was more between him and Zach than just friendship and lust he wanted to explore the possibilities.

Zach hadn't been sure what exactly that would have felt like, but the way he felt was definitely not what he'd been expecting. Despite the fact that he ached and hurt slightly in odd places, he was content and warm; and possibly more than a little sleepy. The Angel had his eyes closed for a bit, giving a bit of a yawn as he nuzzled closer to Nowe. He resisted the wince that threatened to escape when he moved wrong, and opened an eye lazily to peer at the other when he felt weight on his shoulder. Neither of them said anything for a bit, and he offered the other a soft smile when he found that the Vampire was looking at him. He hummed quietly in response to the other speaking his name, opening his other eye to look at him better. The question he was posed earned a thoughtful look, and he gave a low noise in his throat as he pondered how to respond to it. After what he just gave the man, they had better be more than just friends, damn it. That had been special, and he wouldn't have given it to just anyone. No matter how good they were at seducing others.

"I would...like to think we are more than friends." He ventured quietly, tilting his head to look at the other a bit. "Not only because I like you, but..." Here he paused again, looking up at the ceiling now. "And I'm sure you guessed this earlier, but that was sorta...my first time doing anything like that." A slight blush stole across his cheeks at that, though he did look back at the man why another shy look. "So it means a lot to me that you were my first... Makes it more special. ... But if you just wanted to be friends, I wouldn't mind that." He nestled down a bit more with another yawn, trying not to appear as if he was waiting nervously to what the other would respond with. Though at the same time, he didn't want to pressure the other into it and opened his mouth to try and say something about that, but closed it a moment later realizing he didn't know exactly how to word it. So when he opened his mouth for a second time, what came out had nothing at all to do with his thoughts.

"I hurt in many strange places."

Nowe waited until Zach had finished speaking before offering his own thoughts on the matter. "I had guessed." In fact, Zach had all but admitted as much earlier. Though the fact it was his first time ever had occurred to him a bit later. "That aside, I really like you too and..." Here he paused because he wasn't sure how to word what he was thinking. "It's been....a very long time since I've considered anything like this. Having a lover isn't the same thing as having...." Another pause as he reconsidered his wording. "It's different than being in a relationship." Relationships required time and nurturing and dedication, something he'd never given to anyone before. At least not in the way a relationship required. But he'd also never given anyone his heart before either and he was pretty sure that belonged to Zach now. Shaking his head lightly to reorganize his thoughts, he shifted so he could better look at Zach. "What I'm trying to say is; I want this, I want to explore what's between us but I don't really know how. I've never had anyone like you before."

Zach's next comment, however, took all seriousness from Nowe and he laughed. "That's entirely normal and can be remedied with a hot shower or a long, hot bath. Both can be very relaxing." He offered, helpfully, though he was still smilinh and his eyes glittered with amusement.

After his intial blurt of the odd pains he was dealing with, Zach was more or less left to nestle his face back into Nowe's hair. If the other took any longer to respond to him, he was going to think of something else a bit to fill the void with. If it weren't for the fact that he was trying so hard to hide how nervous he was at that moment, he would have been positively squirming while waiting for the other to speak. The boy bit his lip a bit, trailing his fingers down the other's back and giving a nearly apparent sigh of relief when the Vampire finally deigned to talk. He nodded a bit with a small smile to the admittance, but the pause was enough to make him tense slightly as he waited, but the more the man said, the more the Angel relaxed until he was back to curling up around the other, head tilted. "As mentioned before, I've never had a lover at all. I...did have a love before though. A relationship." He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, the crimson stealing over the usual crisp green. "I never thought I would consider doing that again with another person, but I want to try with you." His voice was quiet as he said it, running his fingers through the others short hair with a small smile.

And though it took a short while, the laugh from the other in response to what he'd said earned another smile, and he visibly perked up with the mention of a bath. "Baths are nice. I like baths. ... Can we share one?" He asked hopefully, canting his head ever so slightly to the side.

As Zach spoke, Nowe wondered who this love had been and how long ago Zach had known her (he was guessing said love was a woman based on Zach's comments). He also wondered what happened to make him pause like that. It couldn't have been anything good judging from the look in his eyes. But the question was....did Nowe pry or let Zach tell him in his own time? "I'm a good listener, if you ever want to talk. You don't have to now, or ever, but if you do..." He trailed off, leaving the subject open if Zach wanted to continue to discuss it. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing by subtly prying into Zach's life but he was curious all the same. He wanted to know more about Zach and it had been Zach who'd brought the subject up in the first place. And it wasn't like Nowe was asking specific questions or demanding Zach say anything. It was simply an offer to listen to whatever Zach might want to tell him. "I've had lovers before, but never love. I'm not even sure I'm capable of love." At least not the sort of love Zach was talking about and Zach would be able to see a flicker of worry in his eyes. Nowe loved Evelyn and Victor in a way, but not in a way that made him want to spend eternity with them. In fact, he had encouraged Evelyn to consider a relationship with someone else. But what if that was the only type of love he could feel? The love between friends? What if he couldn't love Zach and ended up hurting him because of it? Of course, were he more familiar with the concept of love he'd realize worrying about such things meant he did love the angel but he'd figure that out in time.

When Zach finished speaking the second time, Nowe gave him a small smile in return. "I'm glad to hear it. We can learn from each other. It won't be easy, for either of us. Nearly six hundred years of keeping people at a distance, of never allowing myself to care too much about people....promise me you won't let me run away from this? And don't let me push you away. I can promise you that if I try it's because I'm afraid of what might happen between us." Right now, what they were doing, what they had between them, was comfortable and familiar. It wasn't terribly different than being with one of his previous lovers. But it needed to be different and it would change the more time they spent together and he didn't know how, exactly, it would change. Nor did he know how he'd react to whatever did change between them.

Zach's question caught him off guard a bit and he blinked in surprise as it fully registered in his mind what the boy was asking. Share a bath? "Sure but only on one condition." Here he gave a sly smile and paused for dramatic effect, even though his request was a simple one. "I want you to stay the night with me tonight. We can watch movies, I can order pizza for you, it'd be...fun." It almost sounded childish, like a teenage girl inviting her friends over for a sleep over, but he couldn't take it back now and he did want Zach to come stay with him for the night. And he'd be just fine if all they did was watch movie though he was more than open to other options as well.

The flicker of worry in Nowe's eyes were noted quietly, and with a small smile. He may not be sure he was capable of love, but the Angel had faith that he was. Instead of replying though, he simply nestled closer and waited to hear what the Vampire had to say, nearly dozing off in the few moments they were quiet. He quickly became more alert once the other spoke again, and gave a small noise under his breath. Taking a moment to form the words he wanted, he nuzzled into the top of the man's hair before nodding. "I promise not to let you run, as long as you don't mind me..." Mind him what? Distancing himself when he felt things get too similar to what he had with his previous love? Running to his twin when he felt unsure about something? "Don't mind me being...me. Not being easy for either of us is a good way to put it, but I want to try. I owe her that much..." His voice quieted then as he looked up at the ceiling, the ghost of a pain flickering across his eyes in the quiet before he closed them. Too much to try and remember right now... Maybe later when he would be alone, he would try and find a way to put the pain to rest.

Even though it'd been nearly 130 years since she'd been gone, after all. But the pain that she brought whenever she crossed his mind was still as raw as it had been the day he'd found her. He may have believed her to be sleeping had it not been for her blood...

Shaking his head sharply to clear it, he peered back at Nowe in time to catch the sly smile and offered one in response, raising an eyebrow at the invitation he'd been given. "I was going to ask to stay the night anyway... Don't really feel like moving unless I have to." The smile widened and he bent his head a bit to kiss the other lightly, stretching out carefully. "So... Bath, pizza, then movie until I pass out?" Sounded like just the sort of thing he needed, and would be the perfect continuation of his time with Nowe. At least, that's how he felt, and hoped the rest of the night would be as pleasant as it'd already been.

Noew only made an accommodating noise at Zach's request. He didn't mind. And he would continue not to mind (for the most part). He was a little hurt that Zach didn't want to talk about the girl from his past but he let it go. He wanted rather badly to pry and to know everything he could about Zach's past but he once again held his tongue. And a part of the reason for that was one of the memories he'd seen while drinking Zach's blood. Something had been familiar about it but he couldn't place what it was just then.

Nowe couldn't help but snicker at Zach's response. "You do remember we're in your bedroom right?" He questioned, gesturing at the Angel's room with one hand. Though his light teasing was interrupted by a kiss and he smiled as he returned the kiss. "You forgot the part where we have to leave here and actually get to my home but...." He shifted so he was leaning over Zach a bit. "I could always stay here and we could just hope no one else walks in on us." He added, leaning in for a proper kiss after he'd finished speaking.

Regardless of where Zach decided they were staying, Nowe would be only too happy to curl up and enjoy the rest of his evening with the Angel.