Heat
Summary: Maybe the scorching days of summer weren't so bad after all…if you had the right person to share them with. Snow, Charming and the art of cooling down.
A/N: I was deep in writing more drabbles for my other fic when this popped into my head and refused to leave. Inspired by the fact that my hometown is officially the hottest city on the entire planet today according to a UN report. If only I had a Charming of my own to cool me down...
Disclaimer: OUAT and all of its characters belong to ABC...all I own is two fans and an air conditioner which are struggling to work...
Snow sank into the calm, cool water with a grateful sigh. This was not the first summer she'd lived through while calling the forest home, but it was the first she could remember when the sun seemed to literally scorch everything in its path. Even now, in the fading light of the evening, heat radiated with an intensity which could make even the toughest of men beg for reprieve.
Her day had been long and tiring. Trampling through the forest in search of a suitable, easily defendable space for their slowly-growing army to call home was not how she'd wished to spend her time. Especially since the heat had caused tempers to shorten and nerves to fray. It felt like every few minutes she'd been diffusing a fight or soothing wounded egos. It did not help that her own mood had been less than pleasant due to one very noticeable absence amongst their number. Charming had left two days before to meet with Princess Abigail and her husband Frederick in secret in an effort to secure their allegiance and help with the war effort. It was necessary she knew, but even though her heart believed without doubt that her husband held no feelings towards his once-fiancée other than friendship, a small sliver of jealousy was always present in Snow's mind. It was petty and irrational but she'd come to learn that when it came to love, all her other emotions were amplified.
Slipping her head under water to rid her mind of such thoughts, she let herself remain submerged for a few moments to calm herself. After finally stumbling across a clearing perfect to make camp, Snow had excused herself and stolen away to a small lake they come across not a half-hour before. Before she'd left, she ensured that Red would allow no-one to disturb her while she washed away the grime and stress off her aching body. She'd come to deal with the absence of luxuries a life as a bandit required but one thing she'd never been able to fully reconcile was the lack of baths. She'd taken to swimming in whatever lakes and streams she could find as substitutes and on days like today, they were her haven.
Resurfacing with a small gasp, Snow's eyes remained closed as she drifted lazily through the water. When she returned to camp, she'd organize their troops into small groups to visit the lake one at a time…they all deserved a chance to escape from the baking temperature for a while.
"Snow?"
Startled, she momentarily lost her buoyancy and splashed sideways into the water with a small shriek. Spluttering, she whipped her head around to find Charming leaning against the rock where she'd left her garments. His arms were crossed and his face alight with barely concealed amusement.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he grinned, eyes scanning from down from the locks of ebony hair plastered to her head to the faint swell of her breasts visible above the water.
Feeling a different kind of heat settle within her at his blatant admiration, she crossed her own arms and tried to fix him with a stern expression. She wanted nothing more than for him to divest himself of his clothes and join her in the water…but that did not mean she could not have a little fun with him first. After all, he had left her alone to deal with their irritable army during this blasted heatwave.
"Of course you didn't," she agreed with a hint of sarcasm, "Did the meeting go well?"
"It did…but I'd rather discuss it at a more appropriate time."
He pushed off from the rock and took one step towards the lake's edge, his intent clear in his gaze.
"More appropriate?" she questioned, deliberately stretching her arms above her head and delighting in the low groan which rumbled from her husband's chest. She never felt more desired than when he looked at her as he was now…like she was the only thing which existed in the entire realm.
"Yes…as in a time when you are more clothed."
His words carried an edge of pure need, his voice deepening to the tone which never failed to send chills up her spine. His clenched hands and the noticeable bulge in his riding trousers spoke to his rising arousal and yet, she knew he would not join her without permission. Her husband, ever the gentleman even though she belonged to him…heart, soul and most definitely body. Deciding to put him out of his misery for both their sakes, she tilted her head in clear invitation.
"Perhaps you are right…but for now, how about you join me…the water's lovely."
With a wicked grin, she crooked her finger at him so there was no mistaking her intentions. Faster than she could blink, Charming began to rid himself of his garments, Snow's eyes locked on his every movement. As he pulled his tunic over his head, she could not help but sigh as his muscular form came into full view. While she knew that she would love him no matter what his appearance, she felt infinitely blessed that her true love was the most handsome man in all the kingdoms. Though at times it was slightly inconvenient that he could stoke the passion inside of her with a single glance…especially since alone time such as this was few and far between these days (even more so because their marriage was a closely-guarded secret).
Lost in her musings, she did not realize he had finished divesting himself of his clothes until she felt small waves buffet her form as he dived cleanly into the water. Watching his back muscles flex with every powerful stroke of his arms, she floated effortlessly with anticipation as slowed to a halt mere inches from her body. Before she could breathe, he'd wrapped her in his arms and captured her lips in a fiery kiss which said I missed you, I love you, I want you all in one swoop. That inner spark of desire within her heart became an inferno and Snow could do nothing but twine her fingers into his thick hair and match his intensity with her own.
His large hands trailed down her back and grasped the curve of her behind, lifting her clean out of the water so he could trail open-mouth kisses along the path of her collarbone and down between the curves of her breasts.
"Charming!" she gasped, wrapping her hands around his shoulders to steady herself as he continued his assault on her senses. Heedless of the water sluicing down her form, his lips found her darkened nipples and worshipped them one at a time, reveling in every moan garnered from her ruby lips. From the first time she'd kissed him, she knew her husband's mouth was very talented and he never failed to live up to that assumption. Digging her fingernails into his back, she knew they would leave marks but did not care…he was hers and he privately carried any such proof with male pride.
Unable to take much more and desperate to feel him deep within her, Snow deliberately plunged her hand beneath the water and grasped him firmly within her fingertips. His lips ground to a halt with a strangled groan, his hips thrusting involuntarily towards her. She loved that she could do this…that she held a power over him that no one else ever had…and no one else ever would.
Knowing without question what she wanted, Charming lowered her back down into the water. Raising his head to rest against hers, his eyes glittered with all of the love she knew he felt before he eased inside of her with a single thrust.
Eyes closing in pleasure, Snow's head dropped back with a loud gasp. She would never tire of this…never tire of the absolute sense of home she felt whenever they were connected. If it was possible to exist in this moment for the rest of their lives, she would do so without hesitation. This was, as always, a culmination of all that had come before…a fervent affirmation that they belonged to each other without reserve, two souls forever intertwined as one.
Losing herself in the spiraling desire which infused every corner of her heated form, she felt a gentle tug on her chin at odds with the forceful movements which created violent ripples upon the lake's surface. Lifting her head, she found Charming's lips soon pressed to her own as the passion within her reached boiling point. Teetering on the edge of a familiar precipice, it was her husband's impassioned plea of her name which proved the final straw and she found the world disappearing in a scorching flash of pleasure unbound.
When sense returned and the darkness receded, she realized she was clinging desperately to Charming's shoulders as he whispered a litany of love against the sweat-soaked skin of her neck. Pulling in a few calming breaths, she shifted back and raised her hand to cup his cheek in her palm.
"Hi," she whispered, satisfaction sweeping through her at the glazed look in his eyes.
"Hi," he responded, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"You know, I came here to cool down and all I've managed to do is the opposite," she said coyly, realizing that she now felt more heated than she had before she'd entered the water.
"Well," Charming started, lifting his hand to let droplets of water rain down upon her flushed shoulders, "When I came from camp, Red did say she could keep everyone occupied for a couple of hours…"
"In that case…"Snow abruptly slipped out of his grasp and dove backwards into the water, "Come and catch me Charming!"
Maybe the scorching days of summer weren't so bad after all…if you had the right person to share them with.