"What the-" Arra sputtered, pulling her shirt out of the pile of laundry.

"What happened to it all?" Darren asked, eyes wide open.

"Um..." Larten dragged his toe across the carpet sheepishly. "You told me to put in the lights, and so I put all the white things in the machine."

"And then," Arra pressed.

"I..." he cleared his throat. "I put my cape in as well."

"The red one?"

"All of his capes are red, Arra."

"Now they're all pink!" Arra groaned. "You idiot!"

"I am sorry," Larten said meekly, then, trying to salvage the situation, "pink looks good on you."

She sighed and kissed him. "I'm stealing one of your shirts til you fix this, kay?"

"You have one of my shirts already. The one you wear to bed."

"Shush! That's not the point..."

Larten laughed. "But it's true."

She smacked him lightly on the arm. He laughed again and pulled her into a hug.


He is offended at how hard she is laughing. It wasn't that absurd of an idea, and if it was, then perhaps she could pretend it wasn't so silly. He feels heat rising to his face.

"Valentines Day?" she asks, giggling. "It's useless. Stupid. A silly day for humans full of odd decorations." Then she surprises him. "I love you every day of the year, idiot, I don't need glitter to show it."


"You need some time to cool off. I will just leave you alone for a bit," he says. He is tired of fighting and knows it isn't getting anywhere. He turns towards the door.

As he reaches for the doorknob, he feels her arms wrap around his middle. She presses her body into his back. "Don't leave!" He's taken aback by the desperation he hears. When he looks, she's nearly crying. "Please," she begs, "just stay. We won't fight anymore. It was stupid anyways. I love you."

"Arra," he turns and envelopes her in a tight hug. "I'm not leaving for good. I was just going to spend some time in the Hall of Sport, or see how Seba was doing, then come back to resolve the issue calmly. I'm not deserting you over some stupid arguement. I thought you would know that."

"I'm sorry." She forces herself to take deep, calming breaths. "I- I panicked."

"It's okay. I love you too," he dips his head down to meet her eyes. Then he gives her an affectionate, reassuring kiss and all her worries melt away.


In all the time he'd known Arra Sails, he'd never taken her for the type who would like to cuddle. It just didn't seem like something she would do.

And yet... Every time he came to bed in the morning, she wrapped her arms around his middle and her legs around his waist and buried her face in his shirt. She was very warm. God, he'd been missing out those first seven years. The first time she had attempted this, he'd stiffened, casting a confused glance her way.

"Oh, sorry," she scooted away from him, averting her gaze, ashamed. "I just thought- I won't do it again."

"N- no, you are fine, I was just a little surprised is all," Larten reassured her. She shifted back into her position against him. "We never did this before."

"I think it's nice," she murmured.

And he agreed. She felt so small like this, and she looked so sweet. Especially waking up. "Five more minutes..." she would yawn, clinging to him.

"I have to go. Duty calls."

"But you're so warm."

He grins, kissing her playfully to distract her while he distangles her limbs from his. She kisses him back sleepily, and when he pulls away, nuzzles his neck. "Stop it," he says, a fake whine in his voice. "You're making it so I never want to leave."

"That's the idea."


Her hands make their way from his shoulders down to his torso, causing him to clutch her closer. He moans as he feels her tongue meet his. He propels her over to the coffin, hand snaking around to the back of her neck, locking her against him. He growls into the kiss, and she whimpers with pleasure, feeling his other hand caressing her waist and her thighs, teasing her. When she finally breaks the kiss, needing air, he moves on to her neck. Lips against her soft, hot skin, his teeth graze one of her more sensitive spots. She completely surrenders, laying back and allowing him to arrange her legs around his waist, trembling with anticipation already.

"How much time do you think we have?" she asks.

"All night," he murmurs into her collarbone. "And I intend to make the most out of it."

She shivers, sensing the unsaid promise in that sentence. She unclasps his cape and it falls to the floor. He nuzzles her neck, biting at her collarbone. He is about to lift her shirt up, then over her head-

There's a knock on the door. "Mr. Crepsley," Darren calls. "Mr. Creeeeeepsleeeeeeeeeeeey! Guess what? I have the best idea! I'm going to teach you how to read!"

Larten stops, and sighs into Arra's shoulder. She laughs. "Maybe later."

"Soon?"

"Soon. I promise."