Author's Note: If you do a google image-search for glow worms, you'll get an idea what a gorgeous sight a cavern full of them can be :) The kind of truly romantic sight that Hollow Earth is probably full of.
Starlight
Magnus was working in her office when Will poked his head in, wearing a smile of obvious excitement. "Hey, have you been outside since the artificial sun shut off for the night?"
"No," she answered, shaking her head and glancing at the clock on her computer. Unsurprisingly, she'd lost track of time and it was already past midnight. "Why?"
"You have to see this," he announced, marching over to the desk and actually taking her hand in both of his as he urged her to her feet.
More startled by his forcefulness than by his physicality, she let herself be tugged down the hall and outside the Sanctuary. In an effort to allow people a sense of autonomy, she'd had the living quarters built outside the main building. Behind the Sanctuary complex, joined by a small tunnel, there was a vast tree-dotted cavern, and most of the living quarters were there in the form of individual cabins, well spaced out from each other to maximize privacy and minimize any sense of claustrophobia that living underground might engender. That was where Will led her now, and she gasped as they emerged from the tunnel into the cavern proper.
For just an instant, she had an uncanny impression of starlight. Then she realized what she was really looking at: thousands of glow-worms on the ceiling, casting a bluish haze over the whole cavern. Gasping softly at the beautiful, unearthly sight, for a moment she could only stand and stare.
Will, still holding onto her hand, gave a delighted grin. "Aren't they beautiful?"
"Amazing! We must be on their migratory route..."
"I thought you'd want to see this," he murmured, watching her face with a faint smile.
"You're staring in the wrong direction, Will," she pointed out after it became impossible to ignore the look of admiration and affection on his face. "It's beautiful up there."
"It's beautiful down here, too."
"Will!" she gasped, blushing. He was usually a tease, of course, but he was seldom such a flirt about it.
"We should get pictures of this," he suggested, changing the subject so abruptly that she wondered if she'd misconstrued his meaning in some way. Dropping her hand, he added, "I have a camera in my cabin."
"Good idea. We should document this every night it lasts," she suggested, her enthusiasm for the amazing natural phenomenon overpowering her curiosity at his behavior.
"You think they'll leave, then?" he asked, looking understandably disappointed.
"Well, the fact that we haven't seen them yet in the months we've been here implies that this may be just one stop on some sort of migratory route."
"That's too bad. Because they are gorgeous."
"They truly are," she agreed, following him to his cabin and waiting on the patio as he went for a camera.
When he returned, he had a bottle of wine and two glasses as well as his camera. "We might as well enjoy our observations..."
She smiled at that, settling down on his porch swing and watching as he started snapping photos. Before long, though, her eyes were drawn back to the roof and those glowing blue 'constellations' of ever-shifting, living stars. Sighing happily, she leaned back and just enjoyed the glorious display of nature's wonder.
She was pulled back to reality by a flash of light. Gasping, she stared up at Will with wide eyes. "Did you just take a picture of me?" she demanded, staring.
"Maybe," he answered with a grin, setting the camera down and picking up the wine bottle.
"Well... delete it!" she ordered.
"No way. It's a good picture. I think I'll keep it," he told her, filling the glasses.
She sputtered a little at that, shaking her head. "What on earth are you going to do with a picture of me gawking stupidly?"
He cleared his throat at that, offering her a glass of wine without actually answering the question. Shaking her head, she took it from him, sipping and watching the glow-worms again. They really were remarkably beautiful creatures. But, eventually, the sense of being watched overtook her, distracting her from them. Swallowing hard, she glanced up at Will, who stood watching her with a distant expression.
"What?" she asked quietly, shifting slightly. Not that she was uncomfortable, but his behavior was a bit uncharacteristic, and that had her guard up.
"Sorry. You're just... very beautiful tonight," he answered, voice even lower than her own.
"Well... thank you, Will." Biting her lip, she fidgeted with her wine glass and wondered at this mood of his.
He and Abby had broken up shortly after his coming underground. It had been mutual and, as far as she could tell, amicable. The simple truth was that Abby felt she could be a force for positive change in SCIU, and Will was a wanted terrorist since leaving that organization for the new Sanctuary. A relationship could not be maintained under those conditions. And Will had been remarkably fine with that fact, given how fiercely he'd clung to the relationship while it lasted. He hadn't shown much interest in women since, but it didn't seem like depression over the termination of one of the most serious relationships of his life. He just didn't act like a man who had much time for anything beyond work.
Except that work was quite clearly the last thing on his mind right now. There was something romantic in sitting on the porch together watching the lights in the sky, and that fact was clearly not lost on him. He'd always been dedicated to her, but now he seemed to be looking at her in a new way. She wasn't sure whether to embrace that fact or to try to deter him. He was, after all, a very attractive man, and there was no reason to doubt that he would be a solicitous and generous lover. But he was also Will, her cheeky monkey and former protege...
Granted, things had changed between them since the days when he was that wide-eyed young man in constant need of her guidance and advice. Now, as often as not, he gave her his advice instead of the other way around, often when she hadn't even asked for it. And he certainly no longer revered her as he once had. He still respected and admired her, but it was a more informed sentiment. He had seen the bad as well as the good in her. He'd been used and lied to by her, and he knew it full well. He'd forgiven without forgetting, and so he had a more realistic picture of who she really was than he ever had before. A relationship with him now was not morally dubious the way an earlier entanglement might have been. He knew what he was getting into, and with who.
Still...
"Will, I know what you must be thinking, but... I can't give you what you want. I simply don't engage in committed, long-term relationships. I haven't since James. I don't have it in me any longer," she warned.
"I know, Magnus. I know that I've always thought I wanted a marriage and kids and all that normal stuff, but lately... I've given a lot of thought to what I want and need out of life, and what I've always thought I wanted has never been what I actually needed."
She bit her lip at that, gesturing for him to sit down next to her. "And what have you decided you need from life, Will?"
Doing as she bade and turning to face her, he told her, "What I need is exactly what I have. To do the things I love with the people I love. To have a purpose and a direction and a mission, Magnus. You're too important to me. My set of days was always going to be yours. You've been the other woman in every relationship I've attempted since joining the Sanctuary, and that's never going to change. You'll always come first with me. So there's never going to be a successful relationship. Abby would have gotten sick of it eventually, even if she hadn't opted to stay with SCIU. It was never going to be a happily ever after. I was deluding myself thinking it could be."
"So you've given up on the idea of a lasting relationship?" she asked, frowning.
"No. I mean, I hope not. We can make each other happy, Magnus. We already do in so many other ways. I can accept that it's not going to be... traditional. I know there'll be other men and women. And abnormals, probably. People you've been close to longer than I've been alive. And I'm fine with that. I am. It's you."
"Of course," she agreed, nodding. "But I'm surprised. You've always seemed to place considerable value on monogamy."
He shrugged. "When you run with Helen Magnus, the rules change. You change."
"Could you really avoid jealousy?"
"I'll learn to," he assured her. "I know I have a spot in your heart, and you won't let me be displaced. I trust you."
She smiled at that, reaching for his hands. "Will..."
"Magnus," he answered, smiling and sliding his fingers through hers. "I think I'd like to kiss you now."
"I can't tell if that's a request or a statement of intent," she said, smirking at him.
"Well, I do like to get consent."
"Hmm, now what are you going to do to me that you think might require advance consent?" she teased.
"Hush," he answered, bringing his lips to hers.
She smiled into the kiss, and he smiled right back, lips moving almost chastely over hers for several long moments. Finally, he broke away, nuzzling her face with a happy sigh and breathing her name as he did. It had been ages since anyone actually nuzzled her, and it left a warm sensation in her stomach, and promised an encounter that would be at least as loving as it was sensual. Sighing happily, she slid her arms around him, pressing close.
"I have to say, I'm glad I saw those glow-worms and decided to tell you about them," he whispered against her cheek. "Before that, my plans for tonight just involved some Arthur Conan Doyle and a cup of cocoa."
"You tore yourself away from Sherlock Holmes for me? Will, I'm flattered," she chuckled.
"Hmm, reading about a drug-addicted asexual, or getting cozy with a brilliant, beautiful woman? Decisions, decisions."
"Well, when you put it like that, I suppose you make a valid point. Even if you are a known fanboy of the former."
"Enjoying a body of literature does not make me a fanboy!" he protested with a laugh.
Smirking, she pointed out, "I saw how you reacted to meeting James. Fanboy."
"Well, okay, maybe a little since meeting the man in person..."
She smiled at that, leaning in and stealing a kiss. "We'll discuss James in more detail soon. I know you must be full of questions you've had the tact not to ask before now."
"One or two. Finding a foreign scientist with the same name as him and handing him the secret of DNA had panache, I'll give him that."
"He was always particularly proud of that one," she chuckled. "I did wonder if you'd ever realized."
"Hey, it couldn't have possibly been a coincidence."
"No, I suppose not," she agreed with a fond smile for dear James. "But we are rather straying from the topic at hand."
"Yeah, guess we are," he answered, biting his lip. "Do you, uh... want to come inside?"
"I'd love to, Will," she assured him, climbing to her feet.
Taking her hand and heading inside, he cleared his throat. "So... this is the part where I admit to being a little unprepared."
She bit her lip at that, surprised after his earlier, obvious enthusiasm. "In what way, Will?"
"In the way where I don't actually have any condoms in the house," he answered, his expression endearingly apprehensive.
"Is that all?" she chuckled, smiling warmly at him. "Will, I've always been one to take such matters into my own hands."
"Right," he answered, making a relieved noise.
"Would you have let a lack of protection stop you?" she asked curiously, drawing him towards his bedroom.
"Of course I would," he answered, frowning. "Doesn't mean we couldn't still both have had some fun," he added, that little frown replaced by a smile at the idea.
"You like your fun, I take it?"
"What guy doesn't?" he answered with a shrug and a grin. "Or did you want specifics?"
"I never say no to such details. They can help me learn a good deal about a lover."
"All right," he answered, smiling boldly and turning to face her. "Ask away."
"How often do you masturbate?"
He choked a little at that, clearing his throat and turning quite red. "Wow, you always go straight for the jugular, don't you?"
"Oh, dear, I've made you uncomfortable," she teased. "You don't have to answer," she added more gently.
"No, no, it's okay. I, um... morning and evening most days. Sometimes more often on my days off," he admitted, looking a little sheepish as he admitted to that frequency.
She absently wet her lips at that revelation. "You have quite the appetite, it seems."
"Well, yeah, it's... actually very healthy to have routine orgasms. Has positive effects on blood pressure, neurochemistry..."
"And of course that's the only reason you do it," she teased.
"Hey, I never claimed that."
"There's nothing wrong with having a healthy appetite for the finer things in life. Just don't be surprised if I use this intelligence in my own favor from now on."
"I just signed up to be your personal sex slave three times a day, didn't I?" he joked.
"Ooh, are you a submissive?" she asked, affecting more enthusiasm for the idea than she actually felt. "I haven't had a slave in decades!"
Predictably, Will's jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he sputtered what was probably intended to be a denial. Poor dear, though, he was adorably incoherent about it.
"Will, I'm teasing," she laughed, squeezing his shoulders. "I've nothing against power-play, but I'm certainly not asking you to submit yourself entirely to my will. I like a lover with independence and spirit."
"Well, those I have," he assured her, grinning. "You totally had me going for a second."
"You're mildly biased because I once tied you to a chair and threatened your life whilst trying to seduce you. I'm sure you spent months after that trying to draw conclusions about my sexuality."
"Yeah, and my own, if we're being honest," he admitted, clearing his throat and looking a little shy. "I had... dreams. The whole thing messed with my head for awhile."
"I can well imagine. Once we're established comfortably together, I'll tie you up again, so you can see how enjoyable it can be."
"Uh... okay. Wow..." he answered, looking a little bemused, but not in the least fearful of the idea.
"You'll love it," she promised, stepping out of her heels and then standing on her toes to kiss him gently. She was so used to being his height or even a little taller during the day that it hadn't really occurred to her before that she was actually shorter. He was a tall man, and she liked that. "I know I always adore it when I'm the one being tied down."
"You, uh... both ways?" he asked, biting his lip. "Really?"
"Variety is the spice of life, William. As my lover, I suspect you'll learn a lot."
Affecting wide-eyed eagerness, he asked, "Is it really true that there's more than one position?!"
Laughing, she swatted him in the chest, shaking her head. "Unless that's an attempt at role-play and, if it is, your acting is terrible..."
"You like role-play?" he asked, smiling and looking a bit eager.
She smiled at his obvious enthusiasm for the idea. "I like a lot of things. What's your favorite scenario?"
"Doctor's always fun. And you'd make an incredibly hot college professor..."
"Oh, and would you do anything for a passing grade, young man?" she asked, pursing her lips.
"Anything, Professor," he assured her solemnly. "My parents will kill me if I fail."
She laughed softly at that, wetting her lips. "We'll have to save that one for the next time I go undercover at a university. That way we'll have the office as well. Adds a lovely touch of authenticity to the game."
"God, that's kinky," he whispered, staring at her with wide eyes.
"If you consider that as unusually kinky, you have even more to learn than I thought."
"It's just very... public..."
"That's half the fun, William," she informed him, winking. "Even with a locked door, the fear of being caught adds a certain something."
He chuckled a little nervously. "God, I haven't done anything in a public place since college, and that was ten miles out into the woods..."
"Then you're overdue. Don't worry, Will. I'll make sure we don't get caught."
"You don't know how vocal I am..."
"I usually like a vocal lover, but anyone can be trained to be quiet when they need to be."
"Trained?"
"Practice makes perfect, my dear. And I daresay you wouldn't mind those practice sessions one bit."
"No. No, they seem like they'd be... great."
"See?" she asked, smiling. "I'm corrupting you already."
"You've been corrupting me since the day we met!" he laughed, beaming at her and stepping closer. "Magnus," he murmured again, dropping his lips to hers.
He kissed her gently, until she started kissing him a little hungrily, then he intensified it, groaning eagerly as his tongue explored her mouth. Nodding, she caught the hem of his t-shirt and started tugging it up. He broke the kiss long enough for her to get the shirt off of him, then tugged her against his chest again and reclaimed her mouth. Mumbling happily, she pressed close, fingertips exploring his broad shoulders and strong back.
"You've put on so much muscle-mass since you started here," she whispered against his lips. "I love it."
"Yeah?" he asked, grinning down at her. "How about this, then?" he asked, abruptly scooping her up in his arms and carrying her towards the bed.
"Dear Lord," she breathed, wetting her lips and moaning happily at the way being picked up like that made her feel breathless and warm inside. She honestly hadn't realized that Will was capable of being so sexually assertive, and it was definitely an attractive feature in him.
He laid her down on the bed, flat on her back, and straddled her waist, fingers making short work of the buttons of her blouse. He pushed it open with a soft, breathless noise, but didn't lay a hand on her breasts yet, just studied her stomach and what he could see of her chest with her bra still in place for a long moment. Then he urged her to sit up and slid the blouse off of her shoulders, tossing it aside as he bent to kiss and nuzzle her cleavage. Moaning softly, she tangled a hand in his hair, nodding.
"Yes, Will..."
"God, Magnus," he panted, sucking and nibbling the exposed skin. "You taste amazing."
She smiled at that. It was promising. "Do you have a particular interest in the way your lovers taste?"
"I really do," he assured her, unzipping and unbuttoning her skirt. "The phrase 'oral fixation' comes to mind."
"Mmm," she answered, lifting her hips so he could remove her skirt and pantyhose, which he did with real alacrity.
He wet his lips, smiling up at her and kissing her stomach as he hooked his fingers under the waistband of her panties. Feeling a little breathless, she lifted her hips again, groaning when he took his time peeling away her underthings. He was clearly enjoying himself, but the cheeky bastard had her aching for more.
"Will, please..."
"Patience, Magnus," he answered, pushing her legs apart and pressing a kiss first to one thigh and then to the other. "Sometimes it feels good to take your time."
"Tease," she accused.
"Oh, yes. But I've never had a lover who resented that fact," he told her, grinning up at her.
"I'm a woman used to getting what I want."
"And you will. I'll make sure you do," he promised, fingertips spreading her folds as he licked and nibbled the tender tissue.
"Oh!" she gasped, head falling back. "Will..."
He made a soft noise of agreement, continuing to attack her folds with his lips, teeth, and tongue. He tasted, sucked, bit, but never got near her arousal. And that tiny organ was already aching for his touch. She panted, resisting the urge to force his head higher. Clearly, he knew what he was doing, and she was curious for a taste of his skills. He tongued her opening a few times, then wet a finger in his mouth and slipped it into her, groaning.
"Oh, God, Magnus. You feel amazing."
She raised an eyebrow at that blatantly enthusiastic response, walls fluttering, and managed to tease him despite her sudden breathlessness, "Never fingered a girl before, William?"
"A few. But that doesn't make it less amazing to be doing it to you."
"Take the rest of your clothes off. I want to see your body while you do this to me."
"As milady commands," he answered, finger thrusting a few times before he eased it out of her and then slowly licked it clean, clearly savoring the taste.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he quickly pulled off his shoes and socks, then stood again and peeled down his jeans and his briefs. She had to moan at the sight of him. Even only half-aroused, she could see that his girth was impressive. She rather wanted to sit up and take him into her mouth, help him reach his full potential. But he clearly had his own plan for how he wanted this night to go, and she was curious to see what his tastes were. She could have her way with him later, after all. The night was still young.
He slid up her body and kissed her, deeply and hungrily, his hands squirming under her and fumbling with the clasp of her bra. She arched her back, nodding and sighing happily as he eased the bra off.
"Mmm, that may be one of the best sensations a human female is capable of experiencing."
"Getting out of a bra? Really? I wouldn't have guessed that was anywhere in the top ten..." he answered, looking for all the world like a confused puppy.
"Well, you've never worn an under-wire before," she laughed, rubbing her sides where the wires had dug in a bit.
Will winced. "Ooh, that looks tender," he murmured, sliding down and gently kissing and nuzzling the welts and depressions in her skin.
She sighed happily, leaning back and cupping her breasts, lifting them so he could reach more of the marks left by her under-wire. Obligingly, Will continued to kiss and nuzzle, tongue darting out to caress her skin. She'd never had a lover pay her this particular attention before, and it felt good in a way that wasn't entirely physical. Not that it lacked a physical component, of course. Lips and tongue on sensitive skin couldn't fail to rouse a response, especially with his hair tickling her breasts.
"Will," she whispered finally, urging his head higher. "Please."
He obediently brought his mouth to one of her nipples, licking and then gently biting the tender nub. Gasping his name, she nodded, arching into his mouth. Will groaned appreciatively, nodding and alternating firm sucks with the occasional nibble. She gasped every time his teeth clamped down on the sensitive tissue, thrilling in the little jolts it sent through her body and straight to her core.
She remembered his finger inside of her, ached to have it back. He had large hands, with strong, broad fingers, and she suspected that three, or even just two, of them would feel just exquisitely filling. Loving his attentions to her breasts, but unwilling to wait longer for more intense stimulation, she caught hold of one of his hands, urging it down between her legs. He moaned as his fingertips encountered her slippery folds, kissing the nipple he'd been lavishing attention on and smiling up at her.
"That your way of asking me to hurry?" he asked, his voice almost a growl as he rasped out the words.
"Touch me, Will? Inside?"
Moaning in agreement, he slipped a finger into her, quickly followed by a second. His hand was still for a moment as her body adjusted to the pleasant intrusion, then he gently stretched her walls, wetting his lips and studying her face with a hungry leer. Groaning and nodding, she rocked against his hand, breath coming faster.
"You like that," he noted, dropping his lips to one of her breasts again and paying that nipple the same attentions he had given the other.
"Mmm," she affirmed, closing her eyes and flexing her muscles to gently squeeze and tug at his fingers. After all, it was not fair that he be allowed to do all the teasing.
He gave an almost-grunt of obvious enjoyment and anticipation at that, shifting the position of his hand and gently thrusting against her g-spot. She gasped and nodded eagerly, opening her eyes and gifting him with a smile that matched his own eager one. He looked absurdly pleased with himself as his eyes studied her face.
"What?" she asked, walls fluttering around his fingers as he kept thrusting. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because I'm the luckiest man alive."
"Flatterer."
He didn't deny it, just smirked a bit and kissed her stomach. Breath catching, she pushed herself up on her elbows to watch his progress. He teased, which was no surprise by this point, kissing and nuzzling her stomach just above her curls. Then he bypassed the part of her aching for his mouth and latched onto one of her thighs, sucking hard. She groaned, half in frustration and half in approval as she realized that he meant to mark her.
When he drew back, there was a not-inconsiderable bruise on her inner thigh, and Will kissed and nuzzled it with a happy noise, sighing with pleasure and smiling up at her.
"Most men like to do that where the whole world will see it," she noted, reaching down to caress the mark with a curious smile.
"I'm not most men. Just knowing you have it is enough for me." Smiling slyly, he added, "This way, it's our little secret."
"Well, when you put it that way," she answered, smiling down at him and wondering if she could convince him to extend their 'secret' into his office. He did, after all, have that lovely couch for therapy sessions...
She was so busy reflecting on that that she didn't notice Will's abrupt shift in mood until he was already suckling her swollen little arousal in quick, rough bursts. Crying out, she fell back against the mattress, panting and nodding as pleasure coursed through her. Will made a happy noise, then another as she hooked a leg over his shoulder. Perhaps all that teasing had not been amiss, because he had her so high, so abruptly, that it took her breath away. Gasping and moaning, she tangled her hands in his hair, nodding urgently.
Will hardly needed the encouragement. He was making noises of his own, hungry and almost greedy-sounding as he carried her higher, alternating hard sucks with quick, firm flicks of his tongue over the sensitive, swollen tissue. Trembling, she tightened her hold on his hair, breath coming faster as she started to build. She'd always considered him young and relatively inexperienced, but she'd only been half-right. Despite his relatively few lovers, he was good...
"Oh, Will..."
He mumbled what was probably meant to be her name, his mouth never slowing in its efforts to carry her higher. And his fingers, those wonderful, wide fingers, just kept jabbing gloriously at her g-spot. Squeezing her eyes shut, she gave herself over to the pleasure he was making her feel, completely letting go of everything except herself, Will, and pure, raw sensation.
She climaxed with a cry, hips bucking against his face. She was soaking his hand but he obviously didn't mind. He was actually laughing as he held her there, keeping her so high it was almost unbearable. Finally, when her gasps and whimpers turned to sobs and howls, he started easing her back down again. As wonderful as it had been, she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or unhappy as the overwhelming pleasure was replaced by a peaceful floating sensation. She already missed the feeling of climaxing at his hands. Oh, but that glorious languor felt too good to resist. So, with a happy sigh, she closed her eyes and simply enjoyed it.
Will moaned against her warmth, panting as he slowly kissed his way up her body. She could feel his erection against her leg, and wet her lips at the idea of it filling her.
He kissed her deeply, tongue pushing greedily into her mouth as he mumbled his adoration against her lips. She couldn't understand a word but, this being Will, she could easily guess his meaning, the devotion and love he was pouring out to her. She smiled and tangled her hands in his hair, feeling loved in a way she hadn't since James. It was a feeling she'd missed, but also one that worried her for his sake. There was a reason she tended to hold others at arm's length. It was just too easy for them to get hurt otherwise. And she couldn't bear the thought of hurting Will.
Breaking the kiss, she took his face in her hands, whispering, "This will change things, Will."
"I'm not afraid of that," he answered, shrugging and nuzzling her face. "Are you?"
"A little," she admitted. "I'd hate for you to get hurt."
He bit his lip at that, staring. "We couldn't have had this conversation before things got this far?"
"I'm sorry. I just..."
"Ask me to stop and I'll stop," he assured her when she faltered. "I'm just not sure I see the need. You'd never willingly hurt me."
"Of course not. But that doesn't mean you won't get hurt."
"Magnus," he sighed, sitting up and urging her up as well. "Come here."
Biting her lip, she let herself be drawn into his arms and gathered against his chest. "I'm not trying to ruin the mood..."
"No. You have legitimate concerns about what this means for us. I understand. I just wish you'd said something earlier."
"Earlier I didn't realize... You've always been a man of strong emotions, Will," she murmured, nestling against his chest and, a bit against her will, feeling safe there. "We're bound to clash."
"We'll fight like an old married couple. But we already do," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I can only promise not to assume that this gives me any special privileges."
"You feel so strongly."
"More strongly where you're concerned. I feel how I feel, Magnus. I love you. Always have. It hasn't always been like this, but it's always been there in some form or other. And, whatever does or doesn't happen tonight, that's never going to change."
She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him. "And, if I were to leave right now?"
"I'd be disappointed, but I'd learn to live with it."
"Just like that?"
"No, not just like that. It would take me time. I'd feel frustrated at first, annoyed. Cock-blocked..."
She chuckled at that admission, as obvious as it was. "But still you'd forgive me?"
"Of course. Just don't expect me to ever forget how it feels to..." He trailed off, clearing his throat and blushing. "Well, you know..."
"I suspect I do, yes. So, if I were to ask for time..."
He cleared his throat at that, straightening a little. "I'm going to take a quick shower, deal with this problem. After that, I'll make us some tea and we can talk."
His willingness to delay was striking, even from Will. Most men would have been desperate enough by now not to take such an idea with incredibly bad grace. But, even now, with his no-doubt aching arousal prodding urgently at her hip, he was still making an effort at self-control, still considering the impact of this on their relationship. It clearly wasn't just the impulse of the moment for him, but something he wanted and believed to be right, for them both. He had every conviction that their relationship wasn't so fragile that it could be damaged by something as simple as sex. And, she was sure, he had a point.
"I'll hold you to the promise of tea," she whispered, biting her lip. "But I don't think there's any need for you to take care of this by yourself."
He cleared his throat at that, blinking. "Really? I thought you had cold feet."
"All I care about, Will, is our friendship. I couldn't abide seeing you hurt."
"I won't be."
"I know. And that removes the basis for my misgivings."
"Are you positive? I don't want you feeling pressured just because I'm being kind of insistent."
"If this is your version of being insistent, you must normally be a very diffident man," she chuckled, drawing him down into a kiss.
He smiled against her lips, nuzzling her face again as he urged her onto her back and slid down on top of her. For various reasons, she hadn't expected him to try to top her and, while it didn't intimidate her, it left her heart lodged in her throat.
"God, Will. It's been a few years," she admitted, feeling almost shy as she smiled up at him.
"Don't worry," he whispered, feathering her face with tender kisses and caressing her arms and shoulders. "I'm always gentle."
"You needn't 'always' be," she assured him, relaxing under his solicitous attentions. This was clearly about much more than sex for him and, somehow, she found herself remarkably comfortable with that fact. "Now, Will, please..."
"Yes," he agreed, slowly pushing into her with a whimper. "God..."
She let out a little huff of air at the way he filled her, making her walls stretch to accommodate him. For just a moment, it was almost too much, then the sensation was positively delightful. She was full of his hard heat, embracing it with her own warmth, and the sense of physical completion was perfect. She was reminded, not unpleasantly, of James, of the way he'd always seemed made to fit her. Will, too, for all the considerable physical differences between the two, felt like a perfect fit.
Sighing happily, she slid her arms and legs around him, legs wrapped tightly around his waist as her hands caressed his broad shoulders.
"Will," she breathed, smiling against his shoulder. "Darling, you're perfect..."
"Magnus," he groaned, panting and pressing his face into her throat without moving. "God, this is... you are..."
"Shh," she soothed, rubbing his back. "You can let go, Will. You don't have to hold back with me."
He nodded, almost frantically, and, finally, started to move against her. Gasping, she tightened her hold on him, nails digging into his shoulders as the smoldering ember of pleasure ignited inside her. Making a sound somewhere between a whimper and a sob, Will braced his hands against the headboard, panting shallowly as he thrust into her, hard and fast.
The sensation alone would have been intoxicating, even if his absolute abandon hadn't been. She'd never seen the normally-controlled Will behaving with so few inhibitions. He was gasping and groaning, occasionally choking out words she'd never heard him say in the light of day. His face, looming over hers, was a mask of pleasure. Leaning up to kiss him, she found herself all but devoured in return, his quiet cries turning into hungry grunts and growls as his tongue laid claim to her mouth.
Unable to resist a delighted laugh at the freedom of his behavior, she nodded, crying out as his hips only picked up speed.
"Will!" she cried out, clinging to him so hard her legs were probably going to bruise his sides. Not that he seemed to mind in the least. He just kept slamming into her, kissing her in a way that was just shy of possessive, and undeniably full of raw need.
She hadn't expected to climax again, so she could only let out a shocked yell as her pleasure abruptly amplified, building so deep inside it left her dizzy and breathless. Whimpering his name, she struggled to breathe, squeezing her eyes shut and just enjoying the glorious sensation of building pressure and pleasure.
It broke over her in waves, blurring her vision and robbing her of the ability to do anything but cry out in overwhelming delight. The electric jolts of pleasure passed after a small eternity, and left her feeling as if she were afloat in the middle of a warm, calm ocean. Sighing peacefully, she gently rubbed his back as he found his own release, filling her with wet heat. She smiled at the almost-relieved noise he made, pressing her lips first to his shoulder and then to his cheek.
"Darling..."
"Magnus... God..." he groaned, collapsing against her chest and mumbling, "You okay?"
"Mmm, why shouldn't I be?" she countered, pressing her lips to his hair. "You weren't as unrestrained as all that. I had a lovely time."
He responded with a happy noise, and she could feel his lips form into a smile against her shoulder. Chuckling, she kissed his hair again, caressing the back of his neck. Faintly, she could feel an old scar, relic of his captivity with the Cabal during his first year with the Sanctuary. If Will realized she was tracing it, he gave no indication, just sighed happily and turned his head to kiss her throat.
"I expected to feel different after that," he whispered finally.
"Oh? And how do you feel?"
"Good. Happy."
"Well, that's certainly an appropriate response to a pleasant bout of lovemaking," she noted. "You said yourself that you didn't expect this to be any sort of traditional entanglement. You're not regretting that fact now?" she asked, frowning.
"No! No..." He paused, then explained, "I expected to feel closer to you after. I didn't realize how silly that was."
Biting her lip, she asked, "And why was it a silly expectation?"
"Because we're already as close as two people can reasonably be," he answered, with an undeniable smile in his voice. Slowly, he looked up at her, that smile of his shy, but genuine. "Nothing's really changed."
"I can't deny being grateful for that fact, Will."
"No, it's a good thing," he agreed, nodding. "But it's going to take me some time to get used to not making romantic gestures and bringing you out on the town regularly..."
"You are still allowed to do those things, Will. Just show some moderation. I haven't been properly romanced since James Watson and I were your age. I'm too old to change back to that wide-eyed girl again."
"I'd never ask you to change. I like you just the way that you are."
He didn't say he loved her for the way she was, and she suspected that, despite his earlier slip, the word-choice was deliberate on his part and designed to put her at her ease. He wasn't trying to make her a girlfriend or anything like that. This was just a uniquely deep, intimate friendship taken to its logical extreme.
They'd been close enough for years that sex wouldn't have been entirely unreasonable, except that his relationship with Abby had existed for much of that span. He never would have cheated on Abby, or anyone, but that hadn't changed the very profound nature of the connection between them, either. She'd borne Abby no personal animosity, but she'd never believed that the young woman had what it took to make Will happy, either. And, while she'd never tried to come between them, it would have been impossible for Will to have undivided loyalties during the relationship. She would have been, as Will had stated, the other woman without ever trying or meaning to be.
"Hey, penny for your thoughts?" he asked gently, touching her cheek and watching her with a loving, concerned look.
"I can honestly say that I've never been the other woman before," she answered, smiling and leaning into his touch. Hesitating, she asked, "Do you blame me? When your relationships don't work out?"
"Of course not! Magnus, it's never been your fault that I can't keep my priorities straight."
"You'd be surprised how many past proteges have blamed me for their inabilities to find and keep love."
"Well, I'm not them. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I used to chase dreams of another life, but I'm done with that."
"Can you really be happy without the family you always wanted, Will?"
"I already have a family, a better one than I used to imagine, even if it's a stranger one, too," he answered with a smile. "Magnus, I am a happy man. You don't have to worry about that. You've given me everything I've ever needed. You always have."
"I hope I can continue to do so," she answered, smiling up at him.
"I know you always will," he assured her, with so much trust in his eyes that it almost took her breath away. "I've got an idea..."
"Oh?" she asked, smiling curiously at him.
"Let's throw on robes, make a pot of tea, and go watch the glow-worms for a little while longer."
"Tea? Who are you and what have you done with my protege?" she teased, grinning.
"What? A guy can't develop an appreciation for tea without being a shape-shifter?"
"Well, you're definitely still a monkey," she chuckled, leaning up to kiss him. "Tea and 'star-gazing' sounds wonderful, Will."
"I have a robe you can borrow. It might be a little big, though."
"No one will see. I don't mind," she assured him. "The view was lovely. I think I'd very much enjoy sharing it with you again."
"Can there be cuddling involved in this?" he asked with a hopeful smile.
"If you can bring yourself to enjoy tea, I think I can bring myself to cuddle..."
"Sounds good," he answered, easing off of her and retrieving a pair of bathrobes from his closet.
The one he handed her had probably fit well when he first joined the Sanctuary, before he started spending time at the gym every day. It was loose on her, of course, but well enough suited to the purpose. Smiling, she slid it on and returned to the patio, dropping onto his porch swing and staring up at the shifting 'constellations' of glow-worms.
Will joined her a few minutes later, carrying two cups of tea and passing one to her before he slid down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Taking a sip, she rested her head on his shoulder, sighing softly.
"How long have you had a secret tea habit, William?"
"Ages now. Are you shocked?"
"Gratified. I knew I'd win you over one day. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon."
"It's comforting. It reminds me of you," he admitted. "And I've been drinking it for years."
"That's sweet, Will."
He answered with a quiet noise, resting his cheek against her hair and enjoying the view in silence for several minutes.
"Will?"
"Magnus?"
"Did you invite me to see this with the intention of seducing me?"
"No, that just happened. I only wanted to share something beautiful with someone I care about."
"Well, thank you," she answered, resting her free hand on his knee. "It was good of you to think of me. And, needless to say, I'm glad it turned out like it did."
"Me, too, Magnus. I... You... you're special to me. Always have been."
"You're special to me, too, Will, and I don't say that to many people."
"I know you don't. Thank you," he whispered, turning his head and kissing her hair.
They lapsed into silence after that, enjoying the view and the company. Will's arm around her was strong, but his hold on her wasn't greedy or possessive, just the embrace of a man enjoying the company of a lover. It felt comfortable, like he wasn't afraid of her going anywhere, like the relationship was long-established. Which, in a very real way, she supposed it was. It had been a long time since she'd experienced this kind of casual, comfortable intimacy.
Sighing softly, she smiled up at him, touching his face.
"Stay the night?" he whispered, turning his head enough to kiss her fingers.
"I'd planned on it," she assured him, tracing his lips with one fingertip.
She didn't often sleep but, tonight, she was looking forward to doing so. To curling up in his arms and letting pleasant, restful dreams overtake her. After an evening spent enjoying his attentions while awake and aware, of course.
She did not often cuddle. It had been a long time since she'd enjoyed an intimacy this simple, longer since she'd enjoyed it with a close friend. It was an unexpected development, but a welcomed one. Smiling to herself, she glanced up at Will, melting a little at the contented smile on his face. He looked so at peace, like he'd been waiting for this without even realizing it. Like he'd been waiting for her.
Sighing happily, she whispered, "Thank you, Will."
"For what?"
She smiled warmly up at him, enjoying his warm embrace and the beautiful sight unfolding above them. "Just for being yourself, Will. Just for being yourself..."
The End