upstairs: for jemma

[lazy_but_loyal]

[Continued from here.]

Pam slips the key into the lock and pushes the door open, flicking a nearby light switch. Immediately the expansive room is illuminated warmly by a black chandelier in the center of the ceiling.

The decor has an old-fashioned, Victorian feel to it, but with modern sensibilities. And also lots of pink and black.

The walls are a very deep shade of pink; the thick carpet is black. Two chairs set at a round table with a black marble top have gilded arms and backs, with satiny pink cushions. Black velvet drapes are pulled closed and tight against the windows. The bed, at the far end of the room, is king-sized with an ornate padded headboard, the carvings matching the chairs. The sheets are black silk, and the pillows and duvet, of course are pink.

A black armoire stands in one corner by the bed, a matching dresser on the bed's opposite side. Both are empty, only because Pam hasn't had a chance to fill them yet.

Pam shuts the door and makes sure it locks behind Jemma.

"Go on and make yourself comfortable."

Comments

[protect_and_survey]

Jemma smiles lazily, and shakes her head.

"Not terribly, the universe is just more funny when you're too tired to take it seriously." At least she's not actually drunk - she's much less likely to tell bad jokes (badly) in an attempt to spread the hilarity.

She does try to push herself up onto her elbows, but dizziness and fatigue (and that utterly dangerous mattress) conspire to flatten her again.
"Oof. Graceful."

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam smirks. She's familiar with the post-feeding goofiness that happens to some people. Usually she sends them on their way before she gets annoyed, but she'll make an exception for Jemma.

She sets the glass of water on the nightstand and props the down-filled pillows up against the headboard. Then, holding Jemma under her armpits, she moves her into more of a lounging position against the pillows. Thing is, when she does move her, it's as if Jemma weighs only as much as one of those pillows.

Putting a hand on a hip, Pam offers the water to her.

"If you feel too tired, I can give you a little of my blood to perk you right up. Might make the universe seem downright hilarious in the process, too."

Eric said it would be okay in Milliways to let humans drink vampire blood. It can still heal but its hallucinogenic effects are harmless here, and no bond is created. Still, Pam's always been extremely stingy with it, and cautious, and for good reason. One doesn't just go handing out your blood to anybody.

[protect_and_survey]

And thus, two new items are added to Jemma's 'Things I'll Probably Never Know About Vampires' list.

(There's a list, don't even pretend to be surprised there's a list, and it's an ever-growing list)

First, she's ridiculously curious about why anyone's blood, never mind a vampire's, would act as a stimulant in low doses. If she didn't think that it'd be a move akin to suicide, she'd try to see if she could find out why.

Second, she'd love to know more about vampire strength potential... but somehow she thinks there's no way either of them would kindly go near a stress plate.

Alas.

She takes the offered glass with both hands to keep it from wobbling.
"No, but thank you, that's very kind." Jemma replies politely, "I should be fine with some rest."

[lazy_but_loyal]

She shrugs a shoulder.

"Suit yourself," she says, and she sits on the edge of the bed, smoothing out her skirt over her crossed legs and tossing her hair over her shoulder. Pam looks just as perfect as when Jemma first raised an eyebrow at her.

"So. What did you think?"

[protect_and_survey]

"It was... intense." She's pretty sure it's not something she would go for again any time soon, but it's not on her never-again list. "It's still fascinating though."

Surely at least one scientist must have become a vampire, somewhere along the way. Why oh why aren't there any skull radiographs? It's tragic.

[lazy_but_loyal]

"Maybe next time you'll let me get to second base," she purrs with a slow smile.

Usually Pam wouldn't have to suggest it. A fangbanger expects it. Jemma is no fangbanger by a long shot, and Pam likes that.

[protect_and_survey]

That damnable, damnable blush manages to make a re-appearance as she ducks her head, though it is much less... dramatic fashion than before. Give it some time.

"Yeah?" Evidently no one's told this particular vampire that gorgeous women like her don't tend to go for the lab geeks, and Jemma is not going to enlighten her. At all. "I'd like that."

[lazy_but_loyal]

Oh, that blush.

So she's open to it. Good.

Because Pam doesn't care about what she is. She only cares about how she tastes.

"I'll show you what those groupies are really after when I reach third."

She brushes her fingertips over Jemma's knee, lightly sweeping down her shin.

[protect_and_survey]

Jemma is very clearly trying to figure out why the heck adding 'vampire' to the mix would make it markedly better, to be desperate enough and obvious enough to earn the scorn of those you supposedly want.

...

Well. This is what experimental trials were designed for.

Sort of.

Shut up.

"As long as I don't have to fill the type - I'm rather horrendous at teen love poetry and I don't believe I've ever been a groupie."

[lazy_but_loyal]

She smirks and rolls her eyes.

"Please. You wouldn't have set foot in here if I thought you were a groupie. Or capable of-- teen love poetry."

The words almost make her gag.

[protect_and_survey]

"Oh good - I think I killed a few brain cells just saying that." Jemma admits, grinning. "Now, let's see if I can manage to walk without looking completely sauced - I've managed to avoid doing that since the time Fitz got me to try Jaegermeister."

Don't get her wrong.

It was very good.

And then she tried to drink the Scotsman under the table.

It didn't go well. She still vows revenge.

[lazy_but_loyal]

The girl really is amusing. Pam can see why Eric would be compelled to be 'lovely' toward her.

"And how many did you have until you fell on your face?" she asks wryly.

She doesn't figure her to have much of a constitution.

Pam won't give her a helping hand up, just to observe how physically capable she is at this point, still (always) listening to her heartbeat. But even from where Pam is sitting, she'll still be quick enough catch Jemma before (if) she falls on her face. Which she hopes she won't. It's a nice face. And besides, Pam will know for next time not to feed on her so deeply.

[protect_and_survey]

"I'm still not sure - most of the rest of that night is a bit of a blur." She has a vague recollection of Fitz holding the empty bottle aloft, but she wouldn't swear to it.

Standing proves uneventful, other than a couple moments of feeling the world spin unreasonably.

"I should clean up, and..." She trails off, baffled, when she puts her hand to her neck and finds blood, but not wounds. Err?

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam's eyes flick from Jemma's surprised expression to her bloodstained neck and back again.

"Oh. You missed that part, didn't you? It's all right, I healed the bite wounds. You have such pretty skin. I couldn't let you go around with any scabs or scars."

Questions in 3, 2, 1...

[protect_and_survey]

Jemma doesn't disappoint, completely lit up at this revelation.

"What? It..." She interrupts herself to hurry to the bathroom to get a better look. Dizziness? Dizziness is boring, go away, she's ignoring that for now, there's science to be had.

"That is amazing, I mean, obviously it's healing by second intention but there's absolutely no evidence of abnormal collagen formation, there isn't even any underlying erythema, is it a enzyme or...?" And she's back, leaning against the door frame as the only concession to the fact she really ought not be dashing around at the moment.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She waits in quiet bemusement, occasionally looking down at her manicured fingernails, as Jemma raves on with apparent glee.

Finally, Pam looks back up at her as she stands...well, leans in the doorway.

"Vampire blood has healing properties. I've heard it described as being life itself. Which, I suppose, is true in a way, or I wouldn't be here. Just a drop or two from my thumb healed your skin. Simple as that."

Somehow, she knows there will be more questions.

[protect_and_survey]

Pam is correct (of course there's going to be questions, it's kind of what she does, constantly). That information just launches her into another round of questions and observations delivered at high speed, never really waiting for an answer to her questions before extrapolating on the information she has and answering them herself.

...

And then she stops, and blinks.

"No wonder you hate scientists." She's just realized that surely some clever someone has realized this fact about vampires, and... well. She remembers that comment about not wanting to be a science experiment.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam just watches her, expression impassive. For someone who isn't familiar with her moods and attitudes, one might think she'd be either bored or pissed off. She might be tuning Jemma out at some point. But not completely.

Jemma finally falls silent. And Pam tilts her head at her.

"I just don't hate scientists, sugar. I hate nearly everyone until I decide that I don't. I simply don't trust scientists as well."

She smiles, rather like a cat with lots of secrets.

A cat that can kill you if those secrets get out.

[protect_and_survey]

She gets a 'do have some faith' eyeroll in response - possibly not the most... common response, but she's gotten that smile before. Jemma is not in habit of telling secrets.

"Can't blame you." She makes to shrug and step back into the bathroom, but the world does that spinning thing again, sending her her stumbling into the other side of the doorframe.

"Cleaning up, then sitting down. Right."

[lazy_but_loyal]

She raises an eyebrow in response to the eyeroll (so they're back to eye gestures now?), but Pam gets her meaning. For Pam, trusting humans has never come easy. She's not paranoid -- there are paranoid vampires, and they're just as dangerous as a paranoid human with a stockpile of wooden stakes -- she's just cautious.

Fortunately for Jemma, she tastes nice, so Pam likes her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asks, though it's also for Pam's own benefit. "You don't have to keep our little thing a secret, but if you go downstairs bumping into things like a ball in a pinball machine, people might ask and get the wrong idea."

[protect_and_survey]

"That... is a fair point." Expecting the worst case scenario just becomes... normal, for her job. "That's not good. Hang on." Jemma ducks back into the bathroom, this time being a bit more careful about her balance. She comes back out of the bathroom scrubbing at newly-cleaned skin.

"From what I know, the rats do take out. I have a room here."

[lazy_but_loyal]

"Oh, good. Put whatever you want on my tab, then."

Eric might do something similar. Sometimes Pam has to think in 'what would Eric do?' terms when it comes to dealing with humans and their needs. It often comes off as being nice.

[protect_and_survey]

She grins, and leaves the towel behind in the bathroom before crossing the room again. She doesn't try to saunter - she's given up on that skill, along with things like running in heels.

"Good thing I don't have caviar tastes - that's a dangerous offer."

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam smirks, patting the spot next to her on the bed as an invitation to Jemma to sit down before she falls down.

"As long as you don't throw a party for all your friends on my tab and tell me that you were really, really hungry, we're good."

[protect_and_survey]

"Well, it'd probably just be me and Fitz, but he hasn't come here in quite a while, so..." She shrugs, shaking out her shirt and pulling it on.