To tempt a saint. [rp for lapsedsaint]

[aesthetic_mojo]

Charlie took possession of her apartment two days before making the vague offer of drinks to John Everton. So far she had a king sized futon set up in the living room with a small coffee table in front of it and another futon set up in the bedroom. They were inexpensive and comfortable enough to hold her over until she decided how she wanted the space to look. Not to mention it might be a good plan to let the kittens get settled before making too many changes.

Asking John to bring paper cups was a matter of sheer necessity. She had one large mug she used for everything, one set of plates and two pans. Formally setting up housekeeping in the city was going to cost a fortune. Buying a $250 dollar bottle of booze for a man who thought she was an instrument of the devil didn't help. Sitting on the living room futon, she stared at the bottle for a long time. No matter how good it was going to taste, she thought it should sparkle or dance.

Aleister lay on his back at her feet, pulling on the hem of her skirt. She could hear him purring in satisfaction not only at the game but at her willingness to let the game continue. His sister Vivianne was curled into a tiny ball behind Charlotte's shoulder on the back of the futon. She also purred, but did so from a deep sleep. Without moving her body, which might have woken the kitten, Charlotte absently petted her as they waited for company Charlotte couldn't really believe would ever arrive.

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[lapsedsaint]

He met her eyes for a moment, then took a long drink before setting the cup down. He had to pick his words carefully here. "Sex is based on trust. Trust is learned in childhood, from parents and family."

His tone had gone a little flat, like he was reciting something he had before, something he might or might not have actually believed. "I don't remember my parents. I was raised by the Church. In that environment, the emphasis is on a spiritual relationship with God, Jesus, and the Blessed Virgin, not the physical pleasures of the flesh. That's what I know."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She watched him for a moment, then stood. She stretched, careful not to spill any of her drink, and walked around the couch to stand by the window. Without realizing her voice sounded very much like his had, she spoke softly. "All actions must be considered in light of how they serve the greater good. Learning, ability, sacrifice only matter because they further family goals. Nothing is truly yours."

"That's all I knew and I walked away from it." Her drink vanished in a single gulp and she rested her forehead against the glass.

[lapsedsaint]

He had finally turned the tables. He looked over at her and sighed, then picked up his drink. Idly sipping at it, he pet Al. "You made the choice you needed to. I made the choice I needed to. I would have been happily cloistered away somewhere, preaching to my own parish now, if only I were less combative. I did what I needed to do."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She closed her eyes as a burst of pain she didn't understand hit her chest. It took a moment for her breathing to return to normal so she could respond. "I thought I had to neuter myself to get away." She shrugged. "Maybe I did."

She turned to look at the back of his head. The kitten had fallen asleep with his sister, but still turned slightly so John could reach the best spots. "I could be the wife of a CEO right now. Wealthy beyond measure. Pampered. With little to do but supervise other people raising my children and running my house. Can you picture that?"

[lapsedsaint]

"Quite frankly, no. I cannot. Just as I don't think you can picture me as a priest." He downed the rest of his drink, finally seeing the bottom of the cup.

It went next to the bottle on the coffee table and he turned to sit straight ahead on the couch. He shouldn't have come and he knew it. And in just a few more minutes, he would stand up and leave. Just a few more minutes.

[aesthetic_mojo]

"Thank you for that. Sometimes I wonder." She came up behind him and held her cup out over his shoulder, wordlessly asking for a refill. "I can see why you want it. In another time I think it would have suited you very well."

[lapsedsaint]

He took her cup and set it on the table next to his. Both of them got refilled, then he handed hers back to her. "He had other Plans for me, I guess. Otherwise, He would have seen to it that I was a touch less aggressive then I am."

[aesthetic_mojo]

"We are given the gifts we need to fulfill our purpose. That's one way to look at it." She took a sip. "I don't think of you as aggressive, you know." She reached to pet the calico kitten, brushing against the back of John's head and shoulder as she moved. "Most often I attack first, though."

[lapsedsaint]

He shifted toward her touch without thinking about it, so intent he was on his drink. "You do tend to attack first, yes."

[aesthetic_mojo]

She slid down so she was almost at his level, her chin resting on the back of the futon frame right next to his head. The kitten purred louder as it realized she could reach better spots that way.

"You have the capacity to piss me off like no other, John." She softened her voice since she was practically speaking into his ear. "It's a gift you have."