A.N. Hello, again, my Night World fans! I've returned to write about my favorite couple, Delos and Maggie. One of my favorite parts in Black Dawn is when Maggie is so understanding of Delos's protectiveness. I thought it was a cute moment-and then I thought about when they would leave the castle. Would Delos still be as protective? I like to think so. I also have plans to add a second chapter-feat. Thea and Eric-to this, because this kinda morphed into a kiss fic rather than the humorous fic I intended (I just feel like there aren't enough kisses in the Night World).

Please, enjoy! This turned out different than I intended, but I still like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Night World.

Sibling Scuffle

Miles and Maggie were in the middle of a scuffle. A typical sibling scuffle, one where Little Sister says something that annoys Older Brother, Older Brother punches Little Sister in the shoulder, Little Sister gets annoyed and shoves back, Older Brother shoves harder, Little Sister stumbles, tumbles, falls down.

Older Brother laughs and helps Little Sister up, Little Sister smiles, and the scuffle is over.

Except, in this instance, Older Brother is a shapeshifter and Little Sister has Vampire Prince as a soulmate.

Little Sister and her Vampire Prince loved each other. Like, a lot. More than they loved anything they've ever had in their lives. Little Sister knows how to love. Vampire Prince still has struggles, but his soulmate knows how to handle and interpret his moods and actions. She knows her prince loves her and protects her the best he can.

She knows that sometimes, his protectiveness can go overboard.

Vampire Prince hasn't been a part of civil society in all his seventeen years of life until just recently. He doesn't know about cars or bikes or parks or picnics or ice cream or anything that his soulmate introduces him to in the real world—the Day World.

He doesn't know about typical sibling scuffles.

So when Older Brother—Miles—punched Maggie in the arm for calling him stupid, Vampire Prince Delos forgot about how close Maggie and Miles were, forgot that sometimes people had meaningless fights, forgot that hurting Miles would hurt Maggie more.

Delos forgot everything except his need to keep Maggie safe from anything that tried to harm her.

He grabbed Maggie and slipped her body behind his, extending to his full height, directing his blazing golden gaze to Miles.

"Whoa, dude," Miles breathed, taking a step back. He held his hands up in surrender. Maggie sighed and placed a hand between Delos's tense shoulder blades.

"Delos," she chided softly, then dropped her hand.

Vampire Prince's stiff posture relaxed as he came back to himself, and he removed his murderous gaze from Miles's apprehensive one.

"Sorry," Delos said, maneuvering so he stood beside Maggie instead of in front of her. He met Miles's eyes again.

Miles grinned, running a steady hand through his hair. "It's all good, man. I like how you're so ready to protect her. God knows she needs it."

"Hey!" Maggie protested, and Miles sniggered.

Delos reached down and grabbed Maggie's hand in his. "I'm sure she could manage." Maggie smiled up at him. Delos returned her smile—but with a wicked one. "As long as I'm around."

Miles laughed and Delos grinned with him while Maggie dropped her Vampire Prince's hand and crossed her arms. "Fine. Have your laughs." Maggie left, but she hardly made it out of the room before Delos caught up to her.

They walked to their room in silence.

Once they entered, Delos closed the door softly behind him. When he turned around, he expected a reprimand. Instead, he got a hug.

Maggie's strong arms snaked delicately around his waist, and her cheek pressed into his chest. His heart beat faster, and he felt Maggie smile. His arms came up and cradled her shoulders.

"I love you," she said, snuggling closer.

Delos buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath. "I love you," he whispered back.

"You can't freak out every time Miles punches me."

"I know—how often does he punch you?"

Maggie chuckled. "He's my brother, Delos. My older brother. Sometimes he'll hit me, but just for fun. He doesn't mean to hurt me."

"Does he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No." Delos shifted his head so his lips could reach her neck.

"Good," he whispered, dropping a kiss on her skin. Maggie curled into him, and Delos tightened his hold.

"I love you, Maggie," he said, leaving her with more lingering kisses, matching pace with the beat of her heart.

"I know." And then she gasped when he gave her a little nip. "Are you trying to seduce me so I'll forgive you?" Maggie asked, wriggling when Delos moved his hands slowly down her back.

Delos shrugged, forcing his hands up the back of Maggie's shirt as he continued to rain kisses on her neck.

"I didn't know I could do that," he purred. Maggie moved her hands so she could run them through Delos's hair, tugging sometimes when he tickled her skin with his fingers.

"You're in the Day World now, buddy."

Delos finally pulled away from her neck, wanting to kiss her lips. He met Maggie's bright eyes with his half-lidded ones. "Oh, yeah? What else am I able to do in the Day World?"

Maggie grinned. "Let me show you." She leaned forward slightly, taking her hands out of his hair and positioning them as if to cup his face.

Just as Delos thought he would have his kiss, Maggie pulled back and punched him in the shoulder with her right hand.

And then she laughed at the expression on face, her face bright and happy, and Delos made as if to grab her so he could keep her in his arms forever, but she dodged him and moved around his body, and they both knew he could stop her if he wanted, but he didn't, and she opened the door and ran down the hall, laughing and laughing.

And Delos could do nothing but follow.