-Moliere

"This place is… pretty awesome, actually," John noted as they returned to the front door of the house Moira had offered him. "Modern. Upkeep is great, only a few scratches on the floor from I assume you guys moving boxes and stuff around. Carpet's a bit worn but a lot of feet going across it I'm guessing. I could deal without the plain grays and whites through most of it, but I'm not going to complain that you guys didn't paint and decorate what you were using as a residential warehouse. Almost no appliances, but there's a lot of space, and I assume all the hookups are still in place?"

Moira nodded, the look of disbelief and complete annoyance still present on her face. "We purchased and secured this place as a safe house and storage location, but other than some magical warding, we haven't altered it much from its original state. As I said, we had already secured our borders in more productive locations, this was primarily for off-site storage, which means anything that took up space and wasn't necessary for temporary garrisons was removed. There is a refrigerator, as well as a few shelves and cupboards. There are multiple beds in a barracks we formed by knocking down the wall between the Master Bedroom and a nearby recreational room. Anything else you will need to acquire yourself. Rent is due on the first of the month."

John raised an eyebrow at that, only to receive a sarcastic groan from Moira.

"It's free, but it's still due. More seriously, John… our borders are generally kept safe, but we cannot prevent surprise attacks. There is no telling if-"

"I know, Moira. I appreciate the concern. More than that…" John held his arms out to emphasize the building itself, "I appreciate this. This is the most independence I've had since, well, ever. Even before magic. I won't forget this."

"I hope that you remember it for the rest of your life," Moira warned, knitting her eyebrows. The look softened a moment later as she clutched a fist to her chest. "And… I hope that is a very long time. I have lost soldiers, John Newman, you should know that well. I've led failed missions as well as successful ones. But I've never let a Knight place themselves in as much intentional danger as you seem determined to do here."

"I can't rely on you forever, Moira," John whispered, putting his hand on her shoulder. Moira nodded, the seriousness returning to her as she reached out a hand. A Knight stepped forward from behind her, placing a weapon in her hand.

"I know. So you'll probably need this - you dropped it back at the Cabal pawn shop."

"No sign of the axe, then? Not like I’m gonna miss it, but…"

"I kinda… left it buried in some guy's 'ead back where they 'ad you locked up," Seras admitted shyly, scratching at the side of her head.

"Yes, well, your pet vampire's bloodlust aside, this blade will do for now. Please remember what I said about calling us, John."

"I will, Moira. It's the very least I can do after all that you have offered me. Thank you again."

Moira nodded and said her farewells as briefly as she could, ushering the rest of the Knights out of the apartment. John waited until they were gone and he had the door firmly locked. Bolted too, not that it would do much good against either Moira or the multitudes of enemies he had made lately.

"Well… that's that, then," John said with finality, clasping his hands together for emphasis. "This place is ours now… a new home. Home away from home, if you count the house that should be finished in the other world."

"That's great, Master. I know how much this means to you."

"What about you, Seras?" John asked, turning back towards his blonde companion. "I know that you didn't have much interest in building a world with me, but… I also know that it can't have been very easy for you to deal with the harassment I know you were getting from the Order."

"S'alright," Seras said nonchalantly, shrugging. "Not like I was fightin' for them or anythin', I was fightin' for you. That made it a lot more bearable."

"Yeah, I guess so. Still… I feel like I need to thank you. For a lot, honestly. I never properly thanked you for the rescue, did I?"

"N-no need, Master," Seras exclaimed, holding her hands up defensively. Her face started to blush, but nothing could wash out the deep reds of her own eyes. "Y-you don't need to thank me! Really, super easy to forget about!"

"Really?" John asked, voice laden with sarcasm as he met Seras' eyes. "You didn't forget. You even thanked me for letting you drink my blood - after you were injured in the first place protecting me.

"Well, that's - you're the master, I mean…"

"And yet I've never told you how grateful I am," John interrupted when Seras trailed off, idly running her fingers through her hair. "That's a mistake I want to fix, because I want you fighting by my side without any reservations. I want you to fight beside me forever."

"R-really, you don't have to-"

"Seras, since the very beginning, since the moment I created you… you've been there for me. A hundred percent. When you were confused, you trusted me. When you lost who you were, you trusted in me to give you a purpose, to act as a guidepost to set your course on the rest of your life. When you thought I was gone, you were lost, and you risked your life to fix that. You've helped me deal with a multitude of issues I tried not to dump on you but ended up doing it anyway, because… well, at the end of the day, despite all that happened in your past and all that I've thrown on top of it, you're a far more well-adjusted person than I am."

"You… you do remember the part where I left your axe buried in another man's head, right?" Seras asked, a single bead of sweat running down her face.

"I do… and I even need to thank you for that. Because you've given me the only thing I've never had, through all of this - someone I can share this new world of magic with who cares about me for me. Not because I feed them, not because I am their only method of communication, not because I'm the tool they can use to regain their rightful place in the world, and not because I'm their lifeline to some place where they aren't a prisoner.

"Are you talkin' about-"

"Honestly, even that would have been enough. I thought I'd be lucky to have you just to have one person who cared about me on a personal level. I thought that just having one person around who understood my struggles would be amazing, but you didn't stop there. You went beyond it - you've constantly put yourself in harm's way for my sake. You've never faltered, never stopped believing in me, and even when I screwed up, you never held it against me. Not once. You called me Master when I stole you from what should've been yours, you shared my bed when I teased and taunted you, and you fought beside me even as those I called friends told you that you were an abomination simply by virtue of existing in the life you'd been **** into."

John smiled, holding his arms open. He hadn't intended to be this open and honest, or to say so much. Half of it he'd never had time to actively think about, too busy being attacked, kidnapped, ****, or assaulted. The rest he had been actively avoiding thinking about, too scared of what would happen and what would change if he voiced those thoughts even inside of his own mind. Now he had released them, spoken them out loud to the only person they would mean anything to, and despite his absolute terror he couldn't help but feel a certain sense of relief at no longer holding back so many secret thoughts.

"I know it's not saying much, since I was so alone even before all this magic stuff, but… Seras Victoria, you're the person I'm closest to after eighteen years of this life, and for good reason. You're pure, intelligent, virtuous, righteous, strong, and compassionate; everything I want to be. I'm lucky to have you, and I've been doing everything I can to keep you by my side forever. At first I clung to you because you were something familiar, something I could understand in the middle of all this madness. Then I relied on you, because you were - are - stronger than I could ever imagine being. Now, I just want to make you happy and never see you cry again. That I scared you when you thought I was gone brings me so much joy, and yet so much grief, just because I never want to see you that scared or sad again."

"W-wait, what has this gotta do with fightin' beside you?" Seras blubbered, her eyes filled with tears she didn't seem ready to shed.

"Nothing," John mumbled, smiling as long streaks covered his own cheeks. "Because this isn't about fighting, it's about the truth that I'm only just starting to understand. You called me your anchor once, said that I held you to this world and gave you something to believe in. If I'm your anchor, Seras, you're the ship that has kept me afloat through countless storms. In all of this you've been my one reason to keep going, the thing that kept me sane through a world of madness and ****. We've held each other for so long that I don't know how to let go, and I certainly never want to.

"But it's not just about what we've done together - it's about what I believe we will do together. I couldn't imagine having Purified a better friend, a better warrior, or a better companion than everything you've given me. The fear you had when you thought I was gone? I feel that every day, because I can't understand how someone with your strength, your pureness, your traits can possibly stay with someone like me. You have too much greatness that I can never live up to. The loyalty, devotion, trust, bloodlust, shyness, bravery, compassion, strength… Everything that you are, everything you were, and everything you will be, Seras... I love it. I love you. And I always will. I can never repay you for what you've done, for what I've done to you, I know that. But, if you'll let me, I'll-"

John wanted to promise undying devotion, whether his feelings were returned or not. He wanted to swear that he would always respect Seras' choices and do his best to honor her requests. In his heart he wanted to tell her that she had always been the best parts of him, the parts he wished he could bring out more. In that sense, he wanted to tell her that while he'd always be following in her footsteps, he wanted to one day become someone that could live up to what she deserved.

But as Seras lips **** themselves upon his, as his mind slowly melded into a shared haze of pleasure and passion, all John could do was promise himself that he would never forget this moment. It wasn't their first kiss - it wasn't even their first loss of control. But it was special in a way that couldn't be properly replicated, special in a way that imprinted itself on his very soul. For a moment, John understood Seras, all that she was and all that she felt of him.

And he understood that, as badly as he wanted her, she wanted him all the more.

John's arms grasped Seras' waist like a lifeline as he pulled his own skin against hers. Every caress and every fondle was multiplied a hundred fold as the two of them took full advantage of their newly vacated home, unafraid now of any unexpected interruptions.

"You were right," Seras mumbled as their lips finally parted, heads not daring to separate more than a few inches for fear that the other might suddenly vanish, "about the house. I like having it. Means I can do this without someone walkin' in."

John was halfway to forming a smartass reply when Seras' gloved hand ventured to his groin, firmly grasping John's only slightly torn and tattered jeans. The inseam groaned slightly against the forceful expression of both John's erection and Seras' prying hand as the vampiress took the initiative. John's jaw dropped just a bit as her hand rubbed against his already-forming erection. Even through two layers of cloth, John couldn't help the ecstasy that filled his abdomen at the thought of those nimble digits working against his manhood.

"Seras," John groaned, leaning toward her and reaching out. Aware of how rapidly her outfits were dwindling, John considered taking a more cautious approach to the removal of Seras' clothing. But he had waited too long for this, his need was too great, and what better way to celebrate his newfound freedom than another trip to the mall?

John grabbed Seras' long-sleeved jacket just below her sternum and pulled on both sides with all the strength he could muster. It held for longer than he thought it would - Seras had fine taste in practical clothing, it seemed. But it couldn't stand long against the full power of a desperately horny Gamer. The buttons surrendered at last, all but one ripping straight off the shirt and the other one managing to eke its way between the fabric at the last moment.

Seras gasped as her chest was almost entirely exposed, only a particularly lacy bra standing in his way. The rest was revealed before him - soft pale skin only beginning to show the flush of arousal, taut muscles that flexed in embarrassment as Seras fought the urge to hide herself from the sudden reveal, and a pair of perky breasts that stood so firmly they might well have been magical even if Seras herself weren't.

It was the most skin John had seen of her since the Minotaur incident… and despite his lack of Shard buff, he needed it even more now than then. This wasn't artificial in even the most remote sense of the word - John was practically burning with desire, all of it natural, and yet Seras' skin felt almost like an inferno under his gentle fingers.

"I never said anything before, but…" John mumbled while fumbling with Seras' bra, "I always thought a vampire would be colder, but if anything, you run warmer than I do. You're even hotter than usual."

"Mus' be all the blood," Seras murmured, continuing to stroke along John's pants. Her motions were unpracticed, her hand uncertain, but John found himself bucking along with every movement. "It's pro'lly still runnin' through my system something fierce."

"Mmm, makes sense," John said, not sure at all that it did but having absolutely no desire to think further about it. Thinking took up attention that could be paid to the bra now falling away from Seras' body, or rather the bounty that lay underneath it. Seras' arms almost flinched back, but the eagerness for their current task drove them forward instead of allowing them to hide her luscious body from John's sight. John allowed her to continue her ministrations for a long while as he enjoyed the sight of her massive mammaries gently bouncing as she stroked him. What finally stopped his trance was the noise of a zipper, as Seras' daring hands grew ever bolder.

"S-Seras-" John was interrupted as the vampiress pushed him back against the barren wall of the front room, making it all the easier for her to handle him without worrying about knocking him over.

"I've never, uh… never really touched one o' these before, but… I think I got the idea," Seras practically whispered, cheeks blazing as she fought momentarily with the button of John's pants. When she finally freed it, the rest of John's concealment didn't take long to displace, revealing his member only inches in front of her face. John twitched as her warm, panting breaths ran down the underside of his shaft, Seras' literally virgin eyes taking in every detail of the pink flesh she was now holding. John realized, only a little awkwardly, that although he'd seen her naked several times when she was first formed he had never actually been fully nude around her - even changing was done with his inventory system now.

"H-hang on, I need'a…" Seras slurred and trailed off a bit, losing her words as she fumbled with her gloves. Pulling them off one by one, Seras reached forward and felt John for the first time with no barrier. John's dick jerked a little at the contact; Seras' hands were not the delicate hands of a princess, but the slightly calloused skin was so her that John couldn't come close to faulting it. The strength he felt behind her fingers would have actually frightened him, were she not being so delicate in everything that she did.

John threw his shirt off as best as he could without interrupting her, seeing no further use for it. Just as the last of it cleared his head, another gasp was pulled from John’s lips as a strong, warm, and unusually (but not unpleasantly) long tongue reached out and curled around the head of his shaft, pressing and pulling seemingly randomly.

"That's… a new taste," Seras commented briefly before indulging herself again, this time bringing her lips along for the ride. As she sealed her lips around the very tip of his cock, Seras’ tongue alternated between licking the underside of it and swirling around. For just a brief moment, John felt a tinge of fear seep in as Seras' teeth touched against his shaft, but she was not feeding - her teeth were as blunt and harmless as any human's - and she was being extraordinarily careful as she slowly began to take John deeper into her mouth.

"S-sorry, don't know if you mean that in a good way or a bad way," John said, not sure of what to do with himself. By kneeling down Seras had taken her breasts out of his reach and sight, and he was sort of awkwardly holding one hand on her shoulder and the other against the wall. With little else he could reach, the only other thing he could do was place his hands on her head. Slowly he eased his hands through her hair, trying not to press her too quickly forward but enjoying the feeling of control it allowed him as Seras serviced his rod, head beginning to gently bob back and forth. Her movement was off-pace and unpracticed, yet it was the sexiest thing John could remember in his life. The strongest, most determined woman he'd ever met was dedicating every ounce of effort she could to please him, and it was working beyond measure.

Seras looked up several times; whether she wanted to say something or whether she was simply gauging John's reaction, he couldn't tell. She continued on until she had managed to stuff almost half of John's length into her mouth and showed no signs of stopping. John had never taken the time to contemplate whether vampires had a gag reflex or not - but his question was answered when the vampiress managed to take his cock all the way into her throat.

Seras made a soft noise as it happened, something between discomfort and surprise, but continued valiantly onward - if anything, now that the final obstacle had been overcome, she moved all the more quickly. In a matter of seconds, she was roughly thrusting herself along John's length from base to tip, and between the shock of seeing Seras so lewdly impaling her throat on him and the stimulation from her throat convulsing around him, John could feel himself rocketing toward climax.

"Seras… holy shit, Seras, you're amazing at this," John breathed, beginning to buck his hips. He would've never done it if she hadn't been so aggressive with her blowjob, but Seras didn't show any signs of minding as John thrust himself into her throat - she sucked harder, thrust faster, and met him as he pounded into her lips. Seras tried to mumble something, but John couldn't even try to decipher it as all of his brain power focused on his approaching climax.

"I'm going to cum… really hard. If you want to move, now's the time!"

Seras never flinched, even as John did his best to release his hold on her. She grabbed him by the waist, steadying his thrusting hips against the wall and then thrust herself fully onto him. Her tongue writhed around his shaft, stroking and encouraging every pulse of sperm as John's orgasm began in earnest. As he finally crossed that edge and felt his body lift his mind into the sky, jet after jet of his essence erupted from his member and directly into Seras' throat. The vampiress swallowed greedily, a deep moan escaping around John's cock, only adding to his pleasure as he continued to unload within her for several more seconds.

John twitched occasionally against the wall as Seras remained with her lips wrapped around his base until he had completely subsided, and even then she only seemed to reluctantly pull herself away. A long strand of drool connected her lips to his shaft as she pulled away until she finally wiped it, leaving her face untouched again.

"I mean’ it in a good way, so you know," Seras breathed, licking her lips and continuing to stare at John's still-hard dick. "I don't think anythin' will ever taste as good as you. Even… even that. So, uh… was it as good as I hope it was? I've never-"

"It was amazing," John exclaimed, rolling his eyes back for emphasis, "so incredible, honestly. I never realized how many advantages there were to being a vampire… maybe it's not too late for me to try."

Seras chuckled, the motion bouncing her chest a little. In spite of John's prior orgasm, he found his eyes travelling dangerously toward the large orbs.

"Yeah, I-I'm kinda glad. Pretty sure I woulda passed out about halfway through that. But… that was nice."

"I know it's only been, like, a week… but I feel like I've been waiting for that for months," John wheezed.

"Me too. An', to be honest, I didn't wait this long just for that. Did you?"

John swallowed, blinking once or twice to clear his thoughts before looking up to Seras' eyes. A dangerous gleam had entered those crimson oceans - the virgin had tasted sexual power, and it seemed she liked that taste almost as much as the taste of her master. Seras tried to hide the uncertainty in her voice as she held out a hand toward John.

"Come on, then… wanna find these barracks she was talkin' about?"