Fledgling Love - Slash- PG 13 (Josef/Marcus)

[darkstarrising]

Okay, this is new for me....so be kind....I'm late to the party, but here is my simple offering to the challenge to write a PG slash piece.

Truly, this is a pleasant story, with nothing to offend (unless of course you don't like vampires).

Fledging Love

His eyes fluttered open, the sights and sounds so different than he had remembered. Everything was brighter, louder, every feeling more intense from what he knew. He had been told that things would be different, but no one had prepared him for the feeling of being so ….alive. And yet, he was no longer among the living.

Hunger, thirst, craving, longing all competed for attention, yet none did he know how to satisfy. Then, a calming presence. His eyes met those of his friend, now his sire, seeing him as if for the first time.

Beautiful. So beautiful.

“Welcome back, my friend. How do you feel?”

Even his friend’s voice, long known to him, had an unfamiliar timbre. “Different. Even more different than you led me to believe. It’s wonderful, Josef… but I need….. I don’t know what I need.” Fear crept into the fledgling’s voice.

“Ah, Marcus, don’t be afraid. All is as it should be. I’ll help you feed, help you take the first steps on the journey of your new life. Come my friend, drink more from me. Let my blood strengthen you until we can hunt together.”

The arm was proffered, a tentative first bite taken, and the fledgling’s hunger eased. As he drank, he felt Josef’s other hand absentmindedly caressing his hair, simultaneously soothing and encouraging. At last, the fledgling was sated, and found the pull of exhaustion lull him back to sleep.

Awakening some time later, he found himself wrapped in the protective embrace of his sire. As a human, he would never have considered this arrangement, but human sensibilities no longer had any meaning for him. Being cocooned in his sire’s strong arms felt natural, as if they had been doing this for years. Head on chest, the fledgling marveled at the man he thought he knew, but was only now beginning to understand. Josef’s strength was evident, and other traits were now becoming more so. How pleasing his face was to gaze on, eyes closed, an angel at rest. His scent, never really noticed before, was now imprinted for eternity. Marcus could not only feel Josef, he could sense him.

Another aspect of my new life you failed to mention, my friend. Just being near you, I feel so much more than I ever knew possible. Why did it take so long for you to offer this gift to me? Why did it take so long for me to understand just how much you mean to me?

His sire stirred, sensing his fledgling’s needs. “Marcus, my friend, you’re awake and I fear, hungry. Tonight we will hunt together for the first of many times. Come, let me help you, let me guide you on this new journey. Let me show you the world as you’ve never seen it before.”

As Josef released his fledgling from his embrace, he bestowed a brief kiss on his cheek, as one close friend to another. Something stirred within Marcus, something he could never have imagined or acknowledged as a human. His sire noticed, smiled and bestowed yet another kiss, one more intimate than the last. “One thing at a time, Marcus. The bond between sire and fledgling is strong at first, but will fade. Your feelings for me now are more than you as a human could ever feel or express. Find yourself first, my friend, only then may you find what you truly makes you happy.”

So ended the human life that Marcus had known, so began his experience of immortality.

[eris]

*happy sigh*

I love this. LOVE. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE L-O-V-E LOVVVVVVVVVVE this. Happy to see it here.

[darkstarrising]

*happy sigh*

I love this. LOVE. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE L-O-V-E LOVVVVVVVVVVE this. Happy to see it here.

eris,

thanks...I never thought I could do this, but I kinda like it, too. If I get really brave, this might be the prologue to a short multi chapter.

[greenleaf9]

oooo, this is really really good dsr!! I think I may have read it before, but it deserves a comment here as well.

In the words of our beloved Josef--I like it!

I like that it's from Marcus's POV, not Josef's...for some reason, it just fits the mood and atmosphere of the story...slashy without being overtly graphic, and still pretty dang hot. Love the image of Marcus curled up in Josef's arms.

Very nice, very well-written! *Hugs*

[cassysj]

I noticed this with the bump. Very nice story with warm slashy feel.

I love this part

“One thing at a time, Marcus. The bond between sire and fledgling is strong at first, but will fade. Your feelings for me now are more than you as a human could ever feel or express. Find yourself first, my friend, only then may you find what you truly makes you happy.”

[darkstarrising]

oooo, this is really really good dsr!! I think I may have read it before, but it deserves a comment here as well.

In the words of our beloved Josef--I like it!

I like that it's from Marcus's POV, not Josef's...for some reason, it just fits the mood and atmosphere of the story...slashy without being overtly graphic, and still pretty dang hot. Love the image of Marcus curled up in Josef's arms.

Very nice, very well-written! *Hugs*

gl9,

*hugs back*

Glad you liked it. I wish you could have seen my face when challenged to write a PG-13 slash - 'who, me?' pretty much covers it. But the challenge served it's purpose. I found it was possible to write a non-graphic love story between two men, or in this case, vampires.

I chose Marcus' POV because everything would be new for him - the heightened senses, the greater appreciation for all around him, the fear as he seeks to understand all the new cravings and desires. He finds his answers in the arms of a friend, now sire, one that he sees as if for the first time, one that he perhaps hadn't fully appreciated before.

I noticed this with the bump. Very nice story with warm slashy feel.

I love this part

“One thing at a time, Marcus. The bond between sire and fledgling is strong at first, but will fade. Your feelings for me now are more than you as a human could ever feel or express. Find yourself first, my friend, only then may you find what you truly makes you happy.”

cassysj,

thanks... the intent was to portray the reaction of a man to his new vampiric condition....some of the changes he had been prepared for, but his feelings for his friend have also been heightened. While he would not have considered such a relationship before being turned, he finds now that his love for his friend is nothing to be ashamed of....

The part you quoted shows Josef as a responsible sire and a caring lover...he will not take advantage of his friend's new feelings. Rather, he give Marcus advice that could apply to us all "Find yourself first, my friend, only then may you find what you truly makes you happy."

[greenleaf9]

oooo, this is really really good dsr!! I think I may have read it before, but it deserves a comment here as well.

In the words of our beloved Josef--I like it!

I like that it's from Marcus's POV, not Josef's...for some reason, it just fits the mood and atmosphere of the story...slashy without being overtly graphic, and still pretty dang hot. Love the image of Marcus curled up in Josef's arms.

Very nice, very well-written! *Hugs*

gl9,

*hugs back*

Glad you liked it. I wish you could have seen my face when challenged to write a PG-13 slash - 'who, me?' pretty much covers it. But the challenge served it's purpose. I found it was possible to write a non-graphic love story between two men, or in this case, vampires.

I chose Marcus' POV because everything would be new for him - the heightened senses, the greater appreciation for all around him, the fear as he seeks to understand all the new cravings and desires. He finds his answers in the arms of a friend, now sire, one that he sees as if for the first time, one that he perhaps hadn't fully appreciated before.

Cool... I can just see your face...LOL.

Forgive me if I am being presumptious here, but then I would almost say that maybe you subconconsiously (or consciously) chose Marcus's POV because you relate to him? You--the author branching into new and unexplored terrority of slash writing, and Marcus into the world of vampirism...

Just a thought...

[darkstarrising]

oooo, this is really really good dsr!! I think I may have read it before, but it deserves a comment here as well.

In the words of our beloved Josef--I like it!

I like that it's from Marcus's POV, not Josef's...for some reason, it just fits the mood and atmosphere of the story...slashy without being overtly graphic, and still pretty dang hot. Love the image of Marcus curled up in Josef's arms.

Very nice, very well-written! *Hugs*

gl9,

*hugs back*

Glad you liked it. I wish you could have seen my face when challenged to write a PG-13 slash - 'who, me?' pretty much covers it. But the challenge served it's purpose. I found it was possible to write a non-graphic love story between two men, or in this case, vampires.

I chose Marcus' POV because everything would be new for him - the heightened senses, the greater appreciation for all around him, the fear as he seeks to understand all the new cravings and desires. He finds his answers in the arms of a friend, now sire, one that he sees as if for the first time, one that he perhaps hadn't fully appreciated before.

Cool... I can just see your face...LOL.

Forgive me if I am being presumptious here, but then I would almost say that maybe you subconconsiously (or consciously) chose Marcus's POV because you relate to him? You--the author branching into new and unexplored terrority of slash writing, and Marcus into the world of vampirism...

Just a thought...

gl9,

Not presumptuous at all, just perceptive, more so than I would have been. Definitely not a conscious move on my part, but perhaps a subconscious one. Trying new and different things is not a trait those who know me would ascribe to me. But I have to admit, it was an interesting experience....

[mitzie]

Beautiful piece of writing!! I feel the love from both of them. Yes, a multi-chapter of this would be great!!!!

mitzie

[darkstarrising]

Beautiful piece of writing!! I feel the love from both of them. Yes, a multi-chapter of this would be great!!!!

mitzie

mitzie,

thanks!! It was definitely a story different from those I'm used to telling. But perhaps taking a break from MickBeth would provide an interesting story of how Josef and Marcus came to meet and what became of them after the turning.

[Luxe de Luxe]

yes, this is really good dsr. the slash makes perfect sense in this context. and your writing as always is wonderful.

[darkstarrising]

yes, this is really good dsr. the slash makes perfect sense in this context. and your writing as always is wonderful.

Luxe,

thank you !! When Red suggested writing a PG13 slash piece, I thought that to be a contradiction in terms....but she was able to convince me to try, and this piece is the result. I'm glad you liked it!

[cassysj]

yes, this is really good dsr. the slash makes perfect sense in this context. and your writing as always is wonderful.

Luxe,

thank you !! When Red suggested writing a PG13 slash piece, I thought that to be a contradiction in terms....but she was able to convince me to try, and this piece is the result. I'm glad you liked it!

When Red suggested the PG13 slash pieces so many good stories came out of it. I was happy to see so many stories because despite being a huge slash fan I'm not comfortable with writing sex scenes myself. So many good writers wrote stories and the results were great.

[darkstarrising]

yes, this is really good dsr. the slash makes perfect sense in this context. and your writing as always is wonderful.

Luxe,

thank you !! When Red suggested writing a PG13 slash piece, I thought that to be a contradiction in terms....but she was able to convince me to try, and this piece is the result. I'm glad you liked it!

When Red suggested the PG13 slash pieces so many good stories came out of it. I was happy to see so many stories because despite being a huge slash fan I'm not comfortable with writing sex scenes myself. So many good writers wrote stories and the results were great.

cassysj,

ITA. I'm not sure Red fully appreciated what she was doing when she posed her challenge. For myself, at least, slash was not something I had read a lot of and what I had read tended to be fairly explicit. Like yourself, I'm not overly comfortable writing any kind of sex scene, slash or otherwise. The most you'll get out of me is a strong R.

But what came out of the challenge (besides its intended result) was that a number of writers who were uncomfortable reading, let alone writing, slash gave it a go. They went beyond their comfort zones, some more than others, and found that they could do it (and not be struck dead by a bolt of lightening). As a result, our library was gifted with many wonderful works and the writers found another dimension they could explore. For all who like 'Fledgling Love' and the other works that came out of the challenge, thank the authors, but thank Red as well.

[jen]

Well done, Karen.