| Primary Characters: | Watson, Tesla, Helen |
| Rating: | M |
| Spoilers: | Some |
| Warning: | m/m sex |
| Description: | Watson, Tesla and Helen get together for a bit of intimacy but Helen falls asleep and the other two are reluctant to give up on the evening’s entertainment. |
They returned unusually late. It was probably at least half past midnight when they’d changed out of their torn and soiled clothes and had a light supper. It had been a very interesting day though and a long one. One could also say it had been a tremendous success. In retrospect, they should have been a little less generous with the wine, but as usual when they felt they had something to celebrate, inevitably there was wine. When midnight approached, they got up, one by one and began to drift back to their rooms to freshen up.
Fifteen minutes later, there was a faint knock on Helen’s door. By then she had changed into her nightgown and was sitting at her dressing table. She got up and opened the door.
”There you are, James. I was almost beginning to think you wouldn’t come. Is age catching up with you?”
”Not at all. I just thought I’d give you time to -”
He indicated her nightgown which was low cut and definitely not bought in London. She smiled at the delicate hint. He returned the smile and let his eyes wander further down her body. She stepped aside and let him in. They didn’t have time to get into bed, before there was another knock on the door. Helen returned to the doorway and turned the key.
”Nikola. What took you so long?”
”Nothing. Am I too late?”
She smiled again, letting a hint of innuendo show.
”What do you think?”
”Since you’re still wearing that lovely piece of workmanship, I think not.”
”Come on.”
By now, James Watson had stretched out on Helen’s bed and had removed his dressing gown. Tesla hadn’t bothered wearing one. Always more focused on results than appearance, yet – quite ostentatious anyway.
Helen sat down on the other side of the bed and stretched out next to her lover. Nikola Tesla followed her so closely, she felt the need to move over an inch or so. As usual, the more impetuous of her lovers made the first move. He pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her. Not wanting to be outdone, James waited only until Nikola paused to draw breath, before he too began to kiss Helen. They alternated like that for a while, until it became painfully obvious that Helen’s eyes were fluttering closed and she was not reacting to their efforts anymore. The two men were forced to face the fact that their lover had fallen asleep.
”Well. How about that?”
The disappointment in Watson’s voice was tangible, but tempered by his quiet personality. Tesla was more vocal in his complaints.
”Really. She usually has a lot more stamina.”
Watson reluctantly got up and looked around for his dressing gown. It was no use crying over spilt milk.
Tesla followed him into the passageway outside.
”James -”
Watson turned and faced Tesla, a politely surprised look on his amiable face.
”Yes?”
”I’m not quite ready to pack it in for tonight, my friend.”
Watson raised his eyebrows. At times, Tesla could be a little hard to understand.
”Yes?”
He had a vague idea that Tesla might be suggesting a visit to a house of low repute, but if so, it was quite out of the question. Perhaps not for Tesla, but then he wasn’t British and anyway – as a medical man Watson was far too aware of the possible negative consequences of such a visit.
”So, how about it?”
It took Watson rather longer to realize that Tesla was actually suggesting something far more – personal. Not that the concept was completely alien to Watson. As a young boy at school that sort of – connection – wasn’t unheard of. He was about to dismiss the suggestion, then something made him reconsider and he took another look at his friend.
”Well, I suppose I could – ”
”Come along then.”
They made their way – rather quietly – to Tesla’s room, where they once again arranged themselves on the bed. Watson, struck by an afterthought, made eye contact with his friend and would-be lover.
”Just so we’re clear – this will have to be just school boy foolery, nothing more.”
”What on earth for? What would be the fun in that?”
There was a petulant tone in Tesla’s voice.
Damned awkward that Tesla had to be so – foreign. Would he really need to spell it out? Clearly that would be what it took. Watson was beginning to regret following Tesla’s suggestion. It would lead to all kinds of difficulties and complications, he was sure.
”Well, you know -”
Watson’s voice dropped so low that anyone but a vampire would have trouble picking up on it, but Tesla clearly heard the word ‘painful’. Good old Watson, not a bit adventurous. A bit of a bore, but – still rather handsome if you liked that sort of thing. Stuffy, overly respectable – but they were wasting time.
”Fortunately, for you, you don’t have to worry about that. Well? Have you forgotten about one of the more important traits of us vampires? Our accelerated healing.”
Watson considered, then decided to accept Tesla’s offer. Clearly he wouldn’t be called upon to – eh – play the – weaker sex.
”Oh, well, that’s alright then.”
Tesla let his lip brush Watson’s and with an effort, Watson accepted the touch. When he felt the tongue slip across his lips, he actually returned the kiss quite enthusiastically. He’d had no idea Tesla was that accomplished in the finer arts of – mm, quite nicely done.
For a moment, Watson lost track of time, but he came to with a start, when he not only felt Tesla’s skillful hands making their way under his pyjama pants, but also the tickle of Tesla’s hair and –
”What are you doing?”
Watson’s tone implied discomfort and distancing.
Tesla looked up, annoyed at the interruption.
”What’s the matter now? I thought you wanted this?”
”I – uh – didn’t expect – I mean – that sort of thing is all very well, but -”
This time Tesla distinctly overheard something about his ‘vampire nature’. He drew himself up and faced Watson, an aggrieved look on his face.
”This is beginning to look a lot like discrimination. Did it ever occur to you that we might not even be here – in this situation – if I hadn’t been a vampire? You should be grateful.”
Watson still looked uncomfortable and now that Tesla was looking more closely, he realized that his friend actually looked a bit – frightened. It was beginning to dawn on him that perhaps he had been a little hasty. What was Watson so nervous about? Oh.
”You’re afraid – I’m going to bite you? Why on earth would I do that? Why would I be so stupid? If I did, you wouldn’t be able to -”
He smiled slightly condescendingly. It wasn’t as if he could expect these slow humans to even approach his race when it came to logical thinking and deduction.
”How about this? I give you my word – as a gentleman – that I won’t get carried away and bite you?”
By now, Watson was looking a little sheepish.
”Oh, well, that’s fine. I – apologize.”
”Yes, yes, let’s get on with it or I might just change my mind. You do think of the most silly excuses.”
A slightly embarrassed smile on his face, Watson at last submitted to Tesla’s attentions. Amazing. You’d think the man had quite a bit more practice than Watson believed he had. Was it some sort of innate vampire talent? Here he abandoned coherent thought in favour of a bit more action. They moved on to what Watson liked to think of as the main course of the evening.
After a considering glance at Watson, Tesla had wisely assumed a face down position. No need to further unnerve the already procrastinating Englishman. So absorbed in their intimate activity were they that they failed to overhear the door opening and closing and were aware of nothing untoward until they heard the shrill voice, filled with dismay breaking into their private moment.
”What are you two doing? Never mind, I can see what you’re doing, but what made you think you could just walk out and – start without me? I close my eyes for a second and you two – Is this a new development or can I take it that you’ve been – cheating on me – for a long time?”
Watson experienced the equivalent of an icy shower which left him – cold and – utterly unexcited. He hastily withdrew and grabbed his dressing gown which was lying carelessly tossed over a bedside chair.
”Helen – please. Let me explain.”
Tesla turned over and met Helen’s aggrieved, hard gaze and realized they were in big trouble. Damn that English fool. If he’d only been able to get on with it, they would have been done by now. Satisfied and asleep and Helen none the wiser.
”Explain? No need. You forget that I’m your colleague. I’m fully aware of the – eh – biological facts and the – mechanics of what you were doing.”
”Helen, please. You – fell asleep and -”
”Don’t you think I see that? How dare you? You go behind my back and – start without me – and – This was a mistake. All of this – It’s over. You may spend the night but after that I want you both gone. Out of my house. We can – discuss our work together at a later time, but this – our personal relations – are over.”
Tesla was on his feet by now and not bothering to get dressed, he moved close to Helen, hoping he could move her with one of his patented Tesla smiles.
”Oh, Helen. Surely you see that men have needs? It wouldn’t have been at all like the real thing, but – we could hardly wake you and – I sincerely hope you’re not suggesting we – make use of your – eh – body while you were -”
Her eyes shot daggers at him and Tesla realized that he had gone too far.
”Please reconsider. Don’t throw away what we have over one silly mistake.”
The icy gaze she bestowed on him told him that once again he’d made a mistake.
”Silly? I’d say this is a bit worse than just silly. Besides, I never reconsider. My mind is made up. Stay or go, but know that I’ll never take you back now.”
”Can’t we – isn’t there anything we can do?”
Watson finally managed to get a word in edgeways.
For a second, Helen’s gaze softened. She’d always been partial to Watson. Tesla too, but for altogether different and baser reasons – but – this – they had hurt and betrayed her. No. She was damned if she’d reconsider. This had been a mistake. She only wished John hadn’t been such a – now she had lost the other two as well. Before they realized how hurt she was, she turned on her heel and returned to her own room. This time, her door remained locked.
Tesla turned on Watson, furious at the result of their indiscretion. If only that damned fool hadn’t held him up with his silly concerns they would have been finished by now and –
”I hope you realize that this is all your fault. If you hadn’t been such a – coward and – we would have been finished and all this could have been avoided.”
”Me? My fault? What about you? If you hadn’t dreamed up this foolishness, we would both have been asleep in our beds and Helen might have been slightly disappointed, but surely she would have forgiven us for not disturbing her sleep.”
It was to be a very long time until they once again shared Helen’s bed and then only separately and on very few occasions.
This aggrieved Tesla far more than he wanted to let on to Watson. He was rather more fond of Helen than even he himself was aware of.
Watson too, took the incident to heart. Just like Tesla, he was very attached to Helen and he felt distinctly at a disadvantage after being discovered in such a compromising situation. It was something that might be experienced, even by a gentleman, but never witnessed by anyone but his partner in crime, as it were.
For a time, even their work together suffered, but Helen’s enthusiasm for their work made it imperative that they continue their association and at least they still had that. They never referred to the incident again, not even Tesla, who still nurtured a bitterness against Watson for delaying their little encounter to the point of being discovered together. He placed the entire blame on Watson, quite naturally. If that inhibited old fool hadn’t wanted what he had to offer, he could have said so, instead of offering up ludicrous excuses. How typical of an Englishman.
Neither of them ever stopped hoping and trying to overcome Helen’s reluctance to let them back into her bed, but her resentment ran deep and it was a long time until either of them was the least bit successful. And their own association suffered a great deal from the experience. It was to take a very long time before they once again worked together on any project that didn’t involve the rest of the original team of five. They never revealed to the remaining members what lay behind the bad blood between them.
FIN
© Tonica