conversations in the dark | vasilia

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

The full moon had passed, and despite all the usual pain and grumbling, Rhys still felt better than he had in a long time. The only downside to that was he still had to work. Missing a chunk of time once a month pushed his jobs back to back at times, but at least this one was only a few days as he headed out East and returned shortly after that. It was interesting, Vasilia having come over that day when he had felt almost his worst, but somehow, they had come out of that better than ever. Rhys had never been proud of his anger and temper, but it had given him such clarity that day, and he was grateful that it had. It was later in the day. Rhys had arrived home around three in the morning and had spent most of the day sleeping. Finally, around the early afternoon, he’d gotten up and showered and eaten something and naturally drank some whiskey as well. But then he found himself asleep again on the couch.

It was probably best he slept. He had his usual level of anxious energy to burn off, which he would usually find Maria for. Even if their entire arrangement was different now, she was still the mother of his child and already pregnant. However, since he’d started dating Vasilia—Rhys had focused on work, drinking, and bothering Vas to bake more of those cookies he loved. Rhys heard a knocking sound, and then his phone buzzed loudly on the coffee table, which startled him awake. It was dark in his flat, but the phone screen lit up brightly, and he saw Vasilia’s name through squinted eyes. Getting up, he felt a tiny bit groggy, and even though he was only wearing pants, he didn’t feel the chill in the room. Being a werewolf meant being warmer than most, and he’d also managed to stay awake long enough to shower and then go back to sleep.

Rhys made it to the door, rubbing his eyes and rubbing his shoulder where he had slept on it weird. He opened the door all the way and spotted Vasilia. But Rhys was still unaware he was only half-dressed. Honestly, he didn’t notice it most of the time since he was home alone most days. And it hardly bothered him to look in the mirror anymore versus when he was younger. There wasn’t anything he could do about the scars that never healed, the magical ones that would never go away. Where he was bitten by his father on his shoulder, the slice across his chest from a Cursebreaking accident, and other various places where he’d been injured at work or while transforming. ”Hey—sorry, was asleep. I just got in this morning.” Rhys greeted her, a half grin on his face.

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia had gotten pretty good at figuring out his routine when he got back from a work trip. She also knew that his definition of taking care of himself was vastly different from the social norm. As such she had taken it upon herself to “help” Rhys whenever he got back. Or rather. By help she really meant bring him food and cookies. Though, to be honest vasilia was one of those people that believed food made everything better so this reaction of bringing him food was normal and entirely expected. It was also a plus that Rhys seemed to like her cooking.

Not knowing exactly what time she’d be home, she’d planned on going over in the evening. And if he still wasn’t home yet she would have just left it on his doorstep. So, arms full, she headed out to his place. Though upon arrival she realized the mistake she’d made with her hands being full as it made it quite difficult to knock. She’d tried though it was a feeble attempt. Thankfully she was able to use a voice command to have her phone text Rhys and ask if he was home. Thankfully a few moment later and the door opened.

Immediately Vasilia grinned back at him. ”Hey. I brought you dinner and cookies,” she answered cheerfully. Then, her brain seemed to catch up with what she was actually seeing. Rhys. Shirtless.

Well. Rhys had a habit of making Vas blush. But she’d never turned this red this fast. Her face felt red hot. Vas knew he was good looking. Exceptionally good looking. But it was her first time seeinf him shirtless. And needless to say it was very flustering and her brain did not know how to handle so much bare skin from the person she was very attracted to. ”Um... is now a bad time?”

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys stepped forward to help grab some of the items in her hand. Immediately he smelled the food and cookies. It seemed that the cookies with the whiskey frosting had quickly become a staple in his diet as much as whiskey itself. Rhys was able to grab the larger dish from her hands and hold it with one arm. ”No.” He responded simply, now suddenly noticing the empty feeling in his stomach. ”I haven’t eaten. I’ve been sleeping most of the day.” Sleeping at odd times of the day was a habit from his Cursebreaker training that he’d never managed to break. Those two years were full of long hours and back-to-back jobs following around Senior Cursebreakers such as Jasper and Casimir and drinking in his free time with Renfri. Now, as a Senior Cursebreaker himself, he found himself exhausted with some of the jobs he received, but it was a bit of a vicious cycle as well. Rhys never slept well in the first place, and despite all the good in his life, the past week had seen an increase in his dreams and nightmares.

As he moved out of the doorway so Vasilia could walk in after him, he walked toward the kitchen, where he set the dish on the counter. With all that, he hadn’t really noticed her blush either. Rhys walked back into the living room to see if she still needed help with her items but now that her hands were less full also greeted her with a kiss. Being this close to her, he noted she smelled like cinnamon, probably from the baking—either way, he liked it. ”Hey.” He greeted her with a small grin. It had been an interesting shift, going to work and then having something to look forward to when he got home. Sure his family was around, but they all had their own lives, and so did his friends. He and Maria could only be together for so long before finding some way to irritate one another, and the further her pregnancy progressed, the moodier they both seemed to be. Which reminded him, she was due for an appointment soon at the hospital—it made Rhys’ stomach do a flip.

Now, Rhys didn’t make a habit of answering the door half-dressed. Even when he knew he was going to be receiving guests, even those friends. So, he finally noticed his current state. ”Oh, let me get a shirt on…” His tone was casual because to him, it was just an afterthought, but he turned and walked into his bedroom where he opened the drawer closest to the door and found a clean t-shirt to pull over his head. Also, he wasn’t sure he wanted his physical well-being to be a topic of conversation—too many scars tended to alarm some people.

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia almost didn't notice he was taking some of the items from her hands, helping carry them in. Nope, her brain fog was still very, very, focused on his shirtlessness. She managed to keep smiling as he spoke, but she half didn't hear him. Thankfully he turned to walk back in and she followed suit so she could finally take a breath. It also gave her the ideal moment to gawk without worry he'd notice. Her eyes couldn't help but move up his back, taking in the sight. He noticed scars, but they didn't bother her... Well, didn't bother her in a bad way. Because let's be honest, she was very bothered at the moment. The kind of bothered RHys usually got.

Somehow she managed to follow him into the apartment and used her foot to push the door closed behind them. She swallowed hard, then headed to the kitchen, though he met her halfway to give her a kiss. "Hey," answered after he pulled back, desperately hoping he hadn't realize just how intensely she was blushing or heard how hard her heart was beating in her chest.

Though, then he seemed to realize he didn't have a shirt on and rather nonchalantly commented about getting one. "Oh, uh, it's okay. I- I don't mind." She tried to answer, trying to sound as calm and casual as he had but not really pulling it off. So, instead she focused on moving to the kitchen to set down the remaining items in her hands on the counter. His being out of the room gave her a moment to catch her breath and hopefully cool off before he came back. It also gave her a moment to try adn come up with some sort of distraction. Thankfully she had a great one. "So, um. One of my distributors gave me a bottle of an Australian whiskey they are thinking of importing. Want to try it and help me decide?" she called out while he was still in his room, hoping the topic would help hide her flusterment when he came back out.

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys heard the door close, telling him that Vas was inside now. When he greeted her, he did note how her face was flushed, but he didn’t think too much of it. She had just walked here with her hands full of stuff, so he figured it was just that. Time after time, Rhys had insisted that she didn’t need to do this. He was more than happy to come to her flat or even stop by the pub. Although, every time he did go, he got knowing looks from the bartenders and staff, though if Vas was working, they were generally left alone. Though he had to admit he’d definitely left a few times earlier than normal. You see, Vasilia was a very social person, and it was also her job as the owner to meet and greet people. Some men were a little too friendly in Rhys’ opinion, and he’d leave before he got too upset.

When he was looking for a shirt, he heard her speak, and he got the sense that he might have surprised her when he opened the door but again, he didn’t think much of it. Rhys was just that comfortable with her, plus having his shirt off wasn’t abnormal when he was home or even when he was working in some tomb in the desert where the heat was even too much for him. Pulling the shirt over his head, he found that it was a bit more snug than his usual t-shirts. But he hadn’t had a chance to do laundry since he’d gotten home and shrugged to himself that he was wearing an older shirt from when he was thinner. His build hadn’t entirely filled out till he’d finish Cursebreaker training, and he’d still been that scrawny kid as he’d been as a teenager. Vasilia spoke from the kitchen, but Rhys didn’t catch all of it, but he walked back out of his bedroom. ”I heard something about whiskey.” He admitted, it was really the only word that had stood out to him that far away. Now that her hands were empty, he didn’t hesitate to approach her again and kiss her longer this time, bringing her close to him for a moment. ”Australian whiskey? I haven’t had that in a long time.” Rhys spoke after pulling away, moving to a nearby cabinet for glasses.

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

While Vasilia would have really liked him to keep his shirt off it had been extremely distracting and she didn't want him to catch her staring at him. It was strange. Vasilia had never felt that..... flustered by someone's appearance. But to be honest, she'd never loved someone like this either. But damn, if that's how every woman felt around Rhys then she suddenly understood why women were always coming onto him....

The few moments alone in the kitchen had helped calm her, but it seemed fate had no plans on letting her stay calm. She heard him before she saw him, as she'd been reaching into one of the bags to pull out the bottle. It was an unfamiliar distillery, but it looked interesting. She hadn't opened it yet, having decided that when she did try she'd much prefer to try it first with Rhys. His whiskey experience was much more refined then her own. Plus... Why not let the whiskey lover enjoy something new? She only hoped it was a brand he wasn't familiar with. "Yeah, I'm trying to decide if we should carry it at the pub. You're my test subject." She answered as she turned the bottle over in her hands, eyeing it another moment before setting it down on the counter and turning to him.

Shit.

This was almost as bad as him being shirtless. The shirt he'd managed to find was very tight, hugging his torso like a glove and leaving little to the imagination. He wasn't the sort to tease her (at least... hadn't been the sort before, but maybe that was changing), so he must be doing this unintentionally. But the calm she'd managed to restore to her cheeks and heart was immediately undone. Dammit. What was wrong with her right now?! And why was he turning her brain to mush without even trying? He'd so thoroughly distracted her that she almost missed him moving to her to pull her in for a kiss. THe kiss was a welcome distraction though, as she wasn't looking at that tight fitting shirt, but as she leaned into him, kissing him back, her mind made her very aware that only a few moments ago the only layers between them would have been her own shirt and jacket. Her heart beat frantically fast, and when he pulled back to get glasses her breathlessness wasn't just from kissing him.

Okay, she HAD to stay busy and keep her mind off... off him. She quickly turned back to the bottle, working to open it as she heard the clink of the glasses. "I've never had it, so I'm pretty curious."

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

The irony wasn’t lost on him that he’d fall in love with a bartender. And while he hadn’t really discussed this new relationship in his life with many people, he was sure that many would comment. And even today, she was bringing him whiskey when everybody else in his life seemed determined to do the opposite. She said that he was her test subject that night, and he didn’t mind. Though really, when she was ready, he would probably let her do whatever she wanted to him. But for now, he pushed that thought out of his mind. It was willpower on his part, but he was determined not to force anything, plus they had spent all this time in each other’s company with a bar between them. It was only different because he was such a physical person, but he was alright with her near him.

Around the full moon was a bit rougher, though she mostly gave him his space, except for this last time. But it had turned out alright despite the bickering. ”Well I’m happy to try any alcohol that needs testing.” Rhys offered, moving to a cabinet after kissing her. She seemed distracted, but maybe she was thinking about the pub or her other work. Rhys knew she took time away from her busy schedule for him, so perhaps that was on her mind. Moving back to stand right next to her, he placed the glasses in front of the unopened bottle, picking it up to look at the label. It was not familiar to him, but he also barely spent time in Australia. ”Never tried this one before.” He placed the bottle back down on the counter and glanced to his side at her. ”You alright? You seem a little distracted.” If she had work to do, he understood—even if he would feel bummed to see her go even tho he could just see her tomorrow.

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

How was he so unaware of the affect he was having? Being such a physical person, Vasilia would guess that Rhys would be very aware of the affect he had on others. Or maybe he really wasn't. Maybe he just had no idea and just went with things when opportunity came his way. Who knew, but the image of him shirtless, and now in a far to tight shirt, were burned into her thoughts, constantly returning to the image no matter how hard she tried to focus on something else. The heat in her cheeks wouldn't go away, and her heart kept fluttering. They hadn't really... gone that far. In big part because he knew she'd never been with someone and was respecting her and letting her decide when she was ready. There was a strange, new nervousness to her.

She opened the bottle after he was done examining it. "My supplier said it's quite smooth with a unique flavor" she explained, focusing on the alcohol instead of his closeness and... physique. She raised the bottle to her nose so she could inhale, but even the smell of the whiskey didn't seem strong enough to distract her. She held it out so he could smell it next. "Something about using ingredients only native to Australia." She explained as she moved the bottle to pour some into each of the glasses. She'd just set the bottle down when he asked if she was alright and seemed distracted. Immediately her cheeks flushed vibrant red. "I'm not-" she started to protest, but stopped when she realized how obvious it was. FInally she looked at him, still blushing. She tried to focus on his eyes. "I'm not distracted, you're distracting." She clarified, her eyes dropping momentarily to his shirt before raising back to meet his gaze again, hoping he'd understand if he followed her eyes in that moment.

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys listened to her explain the whiskey, and he thought about all the different types he had tried over the years. The time he had spent worldwide had introduced him to other kinds of alcohol—whiskey in Japan and sake and tequila in Mexico and Bourbon in America. There was a lot he had tried, and he couldn’t possibly list them all now. But Australia wasn’t an area he worked in, preferring his usual spots by now. It took a few years, but every Cursebreaker ended up sticking to places they knew and very rarely ventured into new ones unless manpower was needed. Rhys leaned closer to her when she held the bottle out. The smell hit his nose as he tried to discern what was different about it. Vas poured a small amount into each glass, and he grabbed his glass while she started to answer him.

It wasn’t the answer he expected, nothing about work or anything on her mind on that topic. Plus, it wasn’t that her face was flush like before, but she was blushing. Rhys gave her a curious look, wondering what was going through that mind of hers and why she seemed so fidgety. But then she answered, but he still didn’t understand, but her eyes clearly looked away from his face and then back to it. Rhys looked down, maybe there was something on his shirt he hadn’t seen earlier, but there was nothing. ”Distracting? How?” Just a shirt that fit a little smaller than normal…oh. Naturally, he hadn’t put two and two together before. Being half dressed-earlier might have been new to her, and Rhys assumed that the lack of experience she spoke of in that department was minimal. His habits weren’t the best with his history and the previous single life he lived.

The way she was fidgeting and blushing, but Rhys could read her well enough to know that it wasn’t that she was uncomfortable. But, not like when she had told him in her flat that day, this…this was different. He had a theory, but there was a simple way to test it. His expression changed from a confused one to something more serious, but something playful and mischievous in his eyes. ”I distract you?” His tone was calm, but he took steps toward her so she would step back but eventually be against the counter behind her. They were near a corner in his kitchen. When there hardly room to breath between them, he stopped. ”So, if I do this—“ Rhys paused mid-sentence to lean down and kiss her but not like before, this was with more passion—the way he always wanted to kiss her. But he was trying to prove a point, so he pulled away after a few moments. ”Does that distract you?”

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

This was very new territory for Vasilia. She was not oblivious, obviously, but she'd just never personally felt interested in someone like this. Never felt this sort of attraction for them. She'd never met someone that made her feel this way. Both terrified, excited, and distracted. She knew her feelings and physical comfort around Rhys had been growing the more time they spent together, but it was like something had broken and a door thrown open. God, this was not how she'd expect such an innocent act like bringing him food and whiskey had turned to this.

She wanted to direct the conversation back to the whiskey, but for a moment.. it seemed forgotten as Rhys mulled over what she'd said, trying to figure out what she meant. His question made her purse her lips tightly, silently telling him she refused to say it. He'd have to figure out the affect he was having on his own. When he did realize what she was talking about... she didn't like the look he gave her. A mischievous glint in his eyes. His next question didn't help either, or the tone of voice he used. "Yes, you're seducing me and it's very distracting. Stop it." She stated matter-of-factly, as if it was truly that simple. There wasn't any strength to her words though, the tone not matching. She clearly didn't want him to stop... though he wasn't actually doing anything...

Oh god, he was moving closer. Vasilia didn't intend to, but she found herself taking a step back until the small of her back was against the corner of the counter, and he was suddenly very... very closer. But even then he moved even closer, until there wasn't any room between them and she had to tilt her head back to keep eye contact. There was that strange fear and excitement. God, how did he invoke two emotions at once? And the way he kissed her? They'd kissed plenty of times, but nothing like this. Her heart raced as she pushed back into the kiss. Despite the intensity it didn't last long until he broke it and spoke. Ugh, that just wasn't fair. She blinked up at him, breathless, speechless, very flustered... and starting to feel a hint of frustration that he'd stopped. "... Yes..." she breathed, the only word that she seemed capable of forming in that moment before she kissed him again. If he wasn't going to kiss her like that again and just start teasing her, then she'd just have to kiss him!

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys tried to recall all of his actions since she had arrived but couldn’t think of anything that he considered ‘seducing’ by any means. But, then again, maybe their definitions of that were very different—as far as Rhys was concerned, he had been his normal self. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. This was Rhys, of course. She was a beautiful woman. He’d always known that, but even more so the more he got to know her. Naturally, he craved that physical intimacy between them. Rhys expressed himself better physically than with words but could be patient. Rhys could only chuckle in response, she didn’t seem entirely serious, but her tone definitely told him how much it was affecting her—how he was affecting her.”Maybe you’re the one seducing me?” He suggested. And if she only knew. Rhys wasn’t blind—he loved the way her eyes turned to gold in the light and the array of tattoos she had, though since he’d realized he had feelings for her, Rhys certainly noticed more features about her, and she didn’t even know.

Still, he hadn’t wanted to pull away from that kiss—he had wanted to keep going, and her breathless answer told him his theory was correct. No, he had to stop himself before he pushed her too far—he could wait, and in the meantime, he needed more whiskey than what was poured in that glass. But, before Rhys could step back and put some distance between them, Vas kissed him back but matching his intensity from before. He kissed her back as that familiar fog filled his brain. All he could think about was how she felt against him. He wanted her. This kiss lasted far longer than the last one, but he managed to pry himself away, though he wasn’t worried about breathing—he was worried about her. ”Vas…” Rhys muttered, looking at her but not moving away. Again, as much as he wanted this, he didn’t want to push her. Plus, she had kissed him like that—so who was seducing who?

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

Vasilia didn't want him to stop. Didn't want him to pull away. Her heart raced and the room seemed to grow warmer. She wanted to keep going. To keep kissing him like this and more.... But alas, he broke the kiss and she tried to catch her breath. She stared up at him, trying to read his expression and realizing that he was feeling much the same way she was. But there was a reluctance in his eyes. And the way he said her name... She could read what he was thinking. He didn't want to go farther then she was comfortable. He was holding himself back, much like he always did. Only for the first time she didn't want him to hold himself back.

She was silent for a moment as she stared up into his eyes. He didn't want to pull away, but he seemed as if he might. She caught is hand, so he couldn't pull away... if he didn't want to. Her grip wasn't hard, so she would let go if he tried. "Whiskey first or after?" she spoke softy. It might sound like an odd question, but the way she was looking at him there was more being said then just those words. She was silently telling him that he didn't have to stop. Didn't want him to stop.

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys was used to holding back, but it wasn’t always successful. Usually this manifested in how short his temper was or how he was before the full moon. But, aside from will power his need for control always won out. She didn’t answer him right away but he felt her hand grab his, Rhys look down at their hands for a moment before looking back into her eyes. The expression in them, the fire—he’d never seen that there before. Sure he’d seen her fired up before, she was a passionate person but this…this was different. And then, she asked him about the the whiskey. To be honest, he had completely forgotten about the whiskey when she had kissed him back, she had his full and undivided attention. He swallowed, not realizing how dry his throat had gotten.

A part of him was still worried about pushing too far, he always had to hold back—which is why Maria entering his life had been so different. But, right now all he cared about was the woman he was in love with was here wanting him back. Pushing away the doubt, he responded. ”Later.” Not even whiskey could move him from that spot. Rhys kissed her again, same intensity—if not more and his hand let go of hers so he could reach up to her shoulders and push off her jacket. Surely, it was too warm in the room for that now. With that tossed aside he put his hands low on her waist but just under her shirt. He had a sudden urge to feel her bare skin. Rhys was tempted to stay in the kitchen, whereas he was patient before suddenly that was becoming more difficult. He pulled back for air for a second and kissed her neck near her ear. Rhys knew they should move but he was distracted at the moment.

template by vee

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

(CW moving forward :3 they getting frisky)

March 12, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

The longer this moment lasted the harder her heart pounded. Terror and excitement, two conflicting emotions that perfectly explained what she was feeling. A desire to continue, to not stop. A fear of the unfamiliarity of the situation. But the fear almost seemed to make her want to continue even more. And he seemed to feel the same. His answer of "later" was the answer she needed. That he wanted to continue too. And then the way he kissed her again, the way that set the butterflies loose and awoke emotions that she'd never felt before.

Vas felt his hands move to her shoulders and for a moment she thought he might try to stop their kissing, but instead he was pushing her jacket off. She moved her arms, to help shrug it off and free them from the sleeves. Where the jacket went after that... she didn't know nor care. Because she was suddenly very aware of where his hands were moving, and she felt a shiver. She moved into his touch, her arms moving to wrap around his shoulders. It was electrifying and she didn't want him to stop. THough when he broke the kiss she thought she might have done something wrong. But as he moved to her neck her eyes widened and she let out of a soft gasp. She'd been feeling very flustered and warm before.. but now? There was a new intensity and she was become more and more aware of his body against hers, the way his hands felt, just barely under her shirt, and the way his he kissed her neck. She didn't know which sensation to focus on. What she did know was that she didn't want him to stop.

[rhys alexander greyback]

keep the secrets that you told me

and your love is all you owe me

March 12, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

It should have been obvious to Vas that Rhys wasn’t a many of many words, well, to most people. However, he opened up to her quite a bit, even if he did struggle with putting it all together and saying the right thing. It made it hard to express just how he felt about her. It wasn’t that it was all about sex. Obviously, he didn’t mind that part, but he wanted to express the feelings he didn’t know how to eloquently put into words when he kissed her. As Rhys kissed her neck, he moved up, so his teeth slightly grazed her ear, but he lingered a moment. She reacted to his touch and everything he was doing, but Rhys had to remind himself that this was probably all new to her. She hadn’t specified what her experience was, and Rhys felt cautious. For almost a year, he’d been able to be as aggressive as he wanted, the girls he saw didn’t mind it, but they also weren’t to this playing field.

As a side effect of being a werewolf, Rhys already had a slightly higher body temperature, but he was starting to get overwhelmed by the current temperature in the room. Maybe it was because they were pressed literally up against one another, and also, his shirt was way too snug. Reluctantly he pulled away for a second, giving himself just enough space to quickly pull his shirt over his head. It hadn’t stayed on that long, it turned out, but then he went back and kissed her—his hands higher up her shirt now. That impatience was growing, and he focused on controlling that, which included not picking her up and putting her on the nearest surface like the kitchen counter or the dining table. No, not with her. Again and very reluctantly, he pulled back but only because he knew they needed to relocate. Rhys’ breathing was rapid, but he grabbed her hand—there was an intense look in his eyes as he began leading her to his bedroom. ”C’mon.”

template by vee