[Relationship] The Rosenhof Residence

[Basil Benson]

Basil's memory wasn't picture perfect by any means, and it didn't strike him as weird that all their things were packed up. He knew they'd recently moved here, perhaps they hadn't found the time to unload all of their things with finals and what not.

Basil would go to fetch his mug return with said mug after about five minutes.

"... You thought I left." He observed out loud, setting the mug gently on the counter and not looking her in the eye.

[Colette Rosenhof]

There was a soft clatter of cutlery tapping porcelain a little too hard as Colette was startled, but she took a moment before speaking.

"... zere was a letter, written in your own hand, declaring so. I was too absorbed in my own self-loazing and guilt to see ze clues you left for me. If Monsieur De... if Chase had not noticed zem... I shudder to zink of it."

She kept her back to Basil as she spoke.

[Basil Benson]

Basil sat down in a chair at their table. He wasn't looking at her either, which made things a bit more bearable to discuss.

"There is a large portion of time I cannot recall in between my disappearance, and Wonderland.

I went for a walk to calm down, wandered outside of the city limits... and then I woke up in a cell, jacketed. I'm sure things happened in between that she didn't want me to know about, and I feared how much she'd take from me to get me to comply. So I began to act up as a distraction tactic. Fighting with Tweedles, throwing fits, harming myself... Whatever it took to force the powers that be to engage with my current behavior and exhaust them from having the resources to look into my deeper psyche so I could stow away all the things I needed should I manage to escape. By the time they got in where they wanted, I had more or less hidden what I needed to hide.

But I let a lot of things I deemed unimportant go to save the important things.

I suspect this won't be the first time I don't remember doing something..."

[Colette Rosenhof]

"Zat is no fault of yours, matou." Colette said softly as she poured hot water from the electric kettle into the brown teapot. "You do not need to apologize for ze zings zat zey did to you, or made you do. You were forced to make sacrifices, and endure hardships. I cannot fault you for any of zat, or ze consequences zere of. We have all of ze time in ze world for your memories to return. And zose zat do not... we will make new ones to replace zem, yes?"

"... I was going to rent it out." She said, as though she felt he needed to hear the explanation then and there. "It did not feel right, here, wizout you. And... well zere were ozer reasons. Practical ones. But...." She trailed off, and retrieved a carton of cream from the fridge.

[Basil Benson]

"But what?" He asked, partially out of curiosity, and partially to avoid having to talk about what he may or may not remember. The idea scared him a bit.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette seemed reluctant to go into it, but she eventually gave in. Going silent didn't fix anything. "You told me zat, no matter what happened between us, zat zis house would belong to me. Legally, zis may be my house, but, ehm, what is word... spiritually? Zis is our home. Wizout you it is just a building, cold and unliving, and nozing I could do would ever change zat feeling. I could not be happy here wizout you."

[Basil Benson]

Basil got up from his seat, and laid his mug on the counter as a smug grin bloomed across his face. He didn't explain why.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette looked back at Basil, that smug grin of his filling her with a sense of warmth. His smiles were few, but they always made her feel good.

"I zink I have ze tea sorted, but zere are definitely some zings you could do for me after. If you are feeling up to zem."

[Basil Benson]

"Alright." He replied, taking his mug to enjoy.

He'd be fairly quiet during tea. He didn't have much small talk to engage in, for obvious reasons. The other thing that was different was now, the boy ate. Colette was used to having to eat his leftovers, but Basil cleaned the plate. He didn't seem to be looking for more however, and got up and washed up the dishes he'd used after himself.

He returned to Colette to await further instruction. It was kind of obvious what he was doing as he stood beside Colette expectantly.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Having always tried to get Basil to eat a little more, she was quite happy to see that he'd developed a happy appetite. Though that did make her worry - had they not given him enough when they were holding him prisoner? It might explain a little more ravenous appetite, and conditioning making it so he didn't look for more. The poor boy. She looked up at him from her chair.

"Looking for somezing else to do? Such a good boy."

[Basil Benson]

All at once, the phrase made Basil weak in the knees and his face flushed despite himself.

"Uhm... Was there something you wanted me to do?"

Being that in the past she couldn't exactly see him constantly, it was hard to gauge if the physical reaction to her praise was normal. It was possible, given that he seemed embarrassed at the praise. But his verbal reaction was much different at least. Less angry at being 'praised for nothing'.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette tried to contain her smile. That she could have such an effect on him after so long apart, after he'd lost so much, changed so much, all the arguments they've been through....

"Zere are two big tasks on my list zat I would like done. One is all of zese boxes. It would be nice to unpack zem and put everyzing back in zeir places. Perhaps it may even spark some memories. Zere is no rush, zis could be done over ze course of several days.

"Ze ozer task is a little more intimate. My bed has been very, very empty wizout you to share it wiz." Did she need to spell it out to him? It seemed rude to ask outright, especially if he wasn't feeling comfortable with it. But the gaze she gave him must've spoken more than her words did.

[Basil Benson]

He didn't really have much of a response to the first request, but upon the second, Basil swallowed hard. His eyes telecasting that he was in his head about the concept. His thoughts didn't stay there however, and after a few moments and without uncomfortable shifting or having to be needled to share his thoughts, he spoke.

"I remember how to perform... techniques. The things I was trained to do by my first. And I remember we have engaged each other before. Many times....

But I neglected to remember your preferences." He admitted, looking away as he said it. "I don't actually remember anything about our private time together."

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette wasn't insulted by Basil's admission, but it did make her a little sad. Those moments were intimate and special to her, even if she didn't remember all of them herself.

"Zen I will have to teach you zem again, yes? You are quite good at following directions, are you not?"

[Basil Benson]

"Yes ma'am." He replied instantly with a nod.

Then he just stood there awkwardly, waiting.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette pushed herself from her chair and onto her feet in a smooth, fluid motion - which was kind of easy considering her unique nature. "Come. I will give you ze basics on ze way." To an outsider it might have seen cold and bossy, but Basil had confessed his preferences to her, and she did her best to indulge them to the best of her ability. She headed for the stairs as she spoke, walking ahead of him so that he'd have a good view of her rear as she moved upward.

"I am different from most women, beyond my anatomy. Technique is not especially important wiz me as is ze passion, ze emotional connection. I told you once before zat, if ze connection is strong enough, ze act of holding my hand can be as pleasurable for me as... your best efforts would be wiz anozer. Quite plainly, when ze mood is correct my entire body is an erogenous zone."

It wasn't until they were on the bedroom floor that she went into more detail. "A good play has zree acts. Ze first act should be one of exploration. You will refamiliarize yourself wiz me, and I in turn shall see how much you have changed. I have been wizout you for far too long, I wish to savour you."

She reached for the door to their bedroom, looking back at Basil as she spoke. "Do you have any objections so far? Any concerns?"

[Basil Benson]

Basil did follow behind her. However, thanks to Colette's unusual nature she could tell that Basil was not engaging in his usual behavior of taking in an eyeful. He kept his eyes respectfully on the back of her head.

As was his habit, he stopped in the door frame.

"No ma'am."

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette might not literally have eyes on the back of her head, but her sense of perspective wasn't limited to her front. "You are allowed to look, you know." She said softly. "It is one way zat I know zat I am desired." She opened the door to the bedroom and stepped inside, turning to look at him.

"And I want to be desired by you, Basil. It is not enough for you to do zis for me simply because I will it. I want you to want it as well, to want ME. Ozerwise, zere is no point."

She let herself fall into a sitting position on the bed, watching him.

"Do you desire me, matou?"

[Basil Benson]

"Mmm... Such intriguing questions you ask." He replied, folding his right arm under his elbow while his left hand played with his tie, arching a brow and leaning into the door frame.

He was being just a taste of a sassy bitch right now.

"I know that I desire to be touched. I am starved for it really. And I also know I've still a fondness for you and that I trust you, so if anyone is going to touch, I would prefer it to be you.

But I must confess, I believe due to the.... incident, the strength of whatever spell you had me under has waned." He paused for a moment before adding-

"However, I'm not opposed to you attempting the enchantment again, if that is your intent "

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette found herself almost hurt by Basil's admission, but she kept reminding herself of what he'd been through, what had been taken from him. That he remembered her at all was a testament to his loyalty and devotion to her. So if she had to do a little work to win him back... so be it. Wordlessly her hair retracted from a long "braid" down her back to a shorter bob - and shortly thereafter her hips and backside "bloomp'd" larger, causing her to bounce softly on the bed. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"It will not be as simple as zis, will it?"

[Basil Benson]

"Not by a long shot." He replied, still not budging from his spot.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette pushed herself back to standing upright, which... hoo boy there was quite the dumptruck that didn't stop moving even when the rest of her had come to a stop. She stepped toward Basil in slow, careful strides as she spoke.

"Zat is ze tricky part, because in truz... I am not certain what I did ze first time. How did I, a simple and... unique... French girl, manage to gain ze affection and devotion of such a handsome, intelligent, and kind young man such as yourself?" She reached to gently cup his face... she really had been practicing, her touch felt almost human. Not the wet gooeyness of when they'd first met, if he closed his eyes it might've felt natural. "How many times did I ask myself zat question, and never find ze answer. Oh, of all of ze zings zey took from you, please do not let kindness be one of zem." That last part she said almost pleadingly, though it wasn't him that she was asking.

"... I suppose I could let her out to play...."

[Basil Benson]

Basil sighed in content at her touch, his face practically melting into her palm as she cupped it. He didn't seem to notice her quiet voice comment, so drunk on the sensation of a kind hand he was allowed to indulge in that his eyelids were fluttering, but not so intoxicated by it that he managed to miss the full volume one.

"Only if that's what feels right to you. I don't need anything more than this."

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette did her equivalent of standing on her toes to be more on Basil's level, continuing to cup his face in both hands, and also stroke his hair... that was more than two hands could do, but she didn't let things like that stop her. And it made it so much easier to draw him into a soft, drawn-out kiss.

[Basil Benson]

Basil was so malleable now that had there been onlookers, one might presume he was the one made out of gelatinous materials. He kissed back, but in the passive manner one might when they were otherwise engaged in a love drunk stupor. He counted three hands petting his head, so his own hand went to search for what should be a fourth free hand to hold based on the logic that arms came in pairs.

He might have been good at putting on airs and acting tough and resilient against female attention, but it was clear that it was all an act when it came to her.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Fingers intertwined with Basil's own, and held him firmly. Colette wasn't limited to symmetry of course, but she did prefer to operate in a somewhat logical fashion - no arm randomly growing out of the small of her back or something. She had been without him for so long, she had missed him so much. Now, she was going to DROWN the boy in months worth of affection.

[Basil Benson]

After several moments, he eventually found the will (or need?) to come up for air. "Madame Rosenhof..." he murmured, marking the first time he had said the name in months. "I don't think my legs are going to hold me much longer... May I come in?"

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette shivered at those magic words, reminding her of happier times... no, this was a happy time as well.

"Oh, I insist on it." A voice as smooth as caramel replied in French, before many hands gently coaxed him onto the bed. Well, maybe not-so-gently, but she didn't throw him onto it. Not too had, anyway.

[Basil Benson]

Basil with went her but as she became a little rougher with him (in a way he might normally enjoy), his body seized up, muscles tightening in a way one might normally if they weren't expecting it. He didn't seem to be panicking, but it was clear something was wrong.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Even in her excitement Colette picked up on Basil's hesitancy, her touch becoming gentle caresses again.

"Too much?"

[Basil Benson]

"I'm sorry. I....

I was somewhere else for a moment..." He replied with a nervous cadence, though his body seemed to be relaxing again as she pet him.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette gave a soft kiss to Basil's forehead as she stroked his hair.

"Do not be sorry. You have been zrough a lot. If somezing does not feel right, I want you to say so. You can do zis for me, yes?"

[Basil Benson]

With another sigh, he leaned into her hand, his head rolled with the motion.

"Mmmhmmm."

[Colette Rosenhof]

"Good boy." Colette said softly as she began to climb on top of her lover. It wasn't long after that her clothes could be heard hitting the floor.

[Basil Benson]

Provided she remained slow and deliberate in her movements, Basil was more than happy to allow her to do as she pleased.

((FTB))

[Colette Rosenhof]

The sun was well up over the horizon by the time Colette began to stir. It had been a long, long night for the both of them. If Basil had woken before she had he might've noticed that she was now mimicking breathing even while she was asleep - her stint as a flesh and blood human and imprinted on her considerably. So she no longer looked like a corpse laying beside him, her arms wrapped around his waist. And neck. And hips. She wasn't going to let him be taken from her, not again.

[Basil Benson]

Basil slept soundly enough, allowing himself to be cuddled and held tightly once he drifted off into sleep.

But Colette would be awakened in the morning by heavy and panicked breathing the next morning.

[Colette Rosenhof]

It took Colette a moment to realize what was happening, but when she did she released Basil from her grasp, placing a hand on his forehead. "Basil? Basil what is ze matter?"

[Basil Benson]

"Where-...?" He replied, before realizing the answer to his own question.

"I... I'm sorry." He added immediately in a stammer.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette hugged herself to Basil again, stroking his head and peppering his cheek in little kisses. She wanted to make him feel loved, and safe.

"Do not be sorry. You are safe here. I will never let anozer take you from me ever again."