Celebration
Don't let anyone ever try and sell you the idea of a perfect marriage. There's no such thing. Anyone who says they have one, is lying through their teeth. Here's why: once something is perfect, you leave it alone. It stops changing, it stops growing. And what happens to anything that ceases to change, to grow? It dies.
The Oerbas did not have a perfect marriage, but that was just fine. Every day was a new adventure, something different to learn about each other. And it was beautiful. Even now, just shy of one year later. No fights yet to speak of. A few rain checks for dates due to Yun's work, but those were forgivable. They weren't spot on about divvying up the house hold chores either, but that wasn't grounds for divorce. For now they were content, and that's just as good a place to be as any.
"Hey, darlin', could ya help me a minute?" Yun called through the open bathroom door.
Claire emerged from around the door, prompt. "Still can't tie that yourself?"
"If I could, I wouldn't have called. 'Sides, I get to see your pretty face and have your hands on me at the same time." the detective smirked, waggling her eyebrows as she untangled her fingers from the mess she had made of a silk necktie.
Claire just shook her head, shrugging with a buzz of her lips. "Why did you start wearing these anyway?" she started making heads or tails of the knots, undoing them.
"Makes me look professional, more mature," she sounded off, counting with an up tipped chin as Claire tied, "not to mention I'm ten times sexier than usual."
"Just who are trying to get that compliment from?"
"You. But if I can get it from those slobs at the precinct, that's a plus too."
Another sigh, though she smiled a little. "If you insist."
"C'mon, you dig it, admit it."
"Of course I do, it's great should I ever need to drag you around."
"Ooh, sounds kinky." a toothy grin stretched wide across her mouth.
"Sure. There you go, all set."
"Thanks, love. You're the best." Yun kissed her wife and helped guide her a few steps backwards so she could move out of the bathroom and through the living room to the door. She picked up her holster and blazer and slid them into their proper places.
"You have everything you need? Your vest?"
"I got it, vest is in the car." Yun nodded. "And don't think I've forgotten. I'm takin' you out tonight."
Claire smiled, nodded. "Although, why don't we stay in? Give me a chance to cook a steak for you for a change."
"Oh yeah?" Yun seemed to pique at the idea. "I thought it would be a bit scummy of me to make ya cook on our first anniversary."
"Only if I didn't want to in the first place." Claire added.
"But you cook for me damn near every day."
"But it isn't always steak."
Yun shook her head, chuckling. "Ya know, ya got this thing about bein' right that I'm finding very...very sexy." She tucked in real close to her, tip of her nose almost touching Claire's. She eased her arms around her waist and just held her.
"And you can tell me all about it," Claire responded in almost a whisper, "once you get back from work."
"One more kiss?"
"Then you'll go?"
"Promise."
"All right." She was expecting the usual, restrained kiss on the lips. What she got was a tightened embrace and a smooth slip of the tongue that didn't last nearly long enough. Yun would laugh one last time before saying goodbye and walking out the door. After turning the deadbolt back into place, Claire set about on her schedule. She had plans, after all. Big plans.
First she would clean the apartment. Not that it was dirty, but there were things that needed to be done in order keep up with basic maintenance. Dishes, laundry, she needed to go out and buy a few things like detergent now that she thought about it. But that was fine, she needed to get groceries for dinner anyway. It was early, so maybe it would be better to run errands first.
Claire locked up the apartment and headed down to the ground floor, double checking for her wallet and cell phone before getting on her bike. She rode a few blocks down the street to her favorite Wutai market. The older lady behind the counter was happy to see her though her Common language was terrible. All the same Claire smiled and returned the greeting with a casual wave. Her first stop was the meat case, bending and craning her neck over the chilly bunker full of raw animal flesh to look for the butcher.
The butcher was a small framed, heavy handed young lady whose Common was just as bad as the cashier's, but Claire muddled through using cut diagrams on the wall and a very basic form of sign language to order a pair of thicker cut strip steaks. She would only have to wait a minute or two for them to be sliced, wrapped in shrink wrap and in her hands. With a nod of thanks she went about the rest of the store gathering some fresh vegetables and herbs to go with the meat.
From the market she headed a little further down the road to the pharmacy. There she would pick up the laundry detergent, a bag of assorted fruit candy to sate her sudden sweet tooth, and a refill on her Valium. The first one she had needed in months. Last she spoke to her doctor, she might be able to come off of it completely depending on her follow-up appointment next week. Waiting for the prescription would eat up an entire hour, so Claire paid for what she needed and waited in the small alcove by the counter.
Claire would go straight home from the pharmacy and jump right into the chores. Laundry first, as it would take the longest to both wash and dry. While it was doing its thing, she hit the dishes in the sink. Somewhere in between that and vacuuming, she changed the wash to the dryer. When she was able, she made the bed, and then it was back to kitchen to do a little prep for dinner. A generous dry rub and a couple hours uncovered on the bottom rack of the fridge would age them nicely. Now she had time to do whatever tickled her fancy until Yun got home later this evening.
Claire grabbed a notebook, sketch pad, and whatever implements she needed -including her fruit candy- and moved onto the sofa. She found an opera music channel on the TV for background noise so she could focus her thoughts. Some how, the far flung idea of writing a book stuck with her, and she had been working hard the last few months gathering ideas and drawing concepts for potential characters. She tried her hand at rough drafts of a couple chapters and they seemed to have something worth keeping. Now she just needed to get the ideas to coalesce into something more refined.
This alone would swallow hours of her day. Before her creative juices ran dry, it was almost five in the evening. This wasn't cause for alarm, just a change in pastime. She changed the channels to something more structured, cartoons, so she could better keep track of the time.
Yun would walk through the door only a half hour later than the usual seven o'clock return. She looked tired, the hanging of her shoulders visual testament to the fact, and the way she groaned as she twisted out of her blazer and holsters just sealed the deal. Before she could take off the belt with her radio, mace, and handcuffs, Claire came out from the hallway.
"Welcome home." She greeted. "Rough day?"
"Just long, baby." Yun tried a tired smirk. "You haven't started dinner yet, have ya?"
"No, not yet."
"That's good. I had a late lunch, not quite hungry yet. I sure would like to lie down for a bit."
"How about a neck rub while you're at it?"
Yun caught the gentle shift in tone at the suggestion, her brows quirking with suspicion. "Just my neck?"
"Well, I could do your back too, if you want."
The detective was still somewhat wary. Though, as it stood, she didn't much care what her wife had in store. A massage was too good to pass up. "Sure, darlin', sounds great." she conceded, pushing her boots off.
Claire smirked, showing a little teeth as she took hold of the end of Yun's tie and started pulling, leading the detective through the apartment to the bedroom, both of them chuckling. Once in the bedroom they stood beside the bed, Claire starting to pull the knot of the necktie open. Yun watched her, noticed the intense focus of her eyes as the silk came undone and she started on the buttons.
"I can't help but think," Yun paused, wondering aloud, "that you're up to somethin'."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" it was obvious she was trying not to smile.
"Just a hunch. And mine are usual really good, ya know?" she looked down at the open lapels of her shirt, the satin shimmer of her bra, and Claire's hands at her pants.
"So I've heard." Claire tucked her chin to hide the tiny grin. The buckle came undone and she let the detective's accoutrements lay across the foot of the bed. Then she pushed the shirt from Yun's shoulders, caring not at all that it just piled on the floor. She encouraged Yun to turn around, unclasping her bra as she stood almost too close to put a kiss at the base of her neck. "Lay down."
"Pushy, aren't we?" a little laugh. Yun eased herself face down on the blankets and pillows, stuffing one of them beneath her chin. She used her big toes to pull her socks off as an afterthought.
"Not yet." such a loaded response.
"Hmm, I think I like the sound of that." she laughed to herself, a comfortable sound slightly muffled by the pillow.
"We'll see." Claire eased up onto the bed, throwing one leg across the plump rise of Yun's butt, settling with a playful sort of bounce. For a moment she just admired her body, the thin sloped of her spine, the warm tone of her skin, the way the muscles twitched beneath. Then she scooted forward, just below the small of her back, and stretched out her hands to press her fingertips into her flesh. Claire pushed upwards with noticeable pressure, towards her neck and shoulders.
"Oooh, baby," Yun groaned into the pillow, tight lines forming around her eyes with a slow, pleasured wince. "Just like that."
Claire followed direction with a knowing smirk, happy. Any time she could do anything that made Yun feel good made her feel just as good if not more so. No effort was too great if it meant her wife would smile.
She kneaded the tense muscles in her neck, the base of her skull, and just between the shoulder blades. Claire could feel the soft braille of goosebumps beneath her fingertips, the bristle of hairs standing on end. The combination of skin contact and the pleasured sounds Yun made were enough to put redness in her cheeks, stir a quiet need to touch her more. Claire would pause only a moment, pulling up her t-shirt and bra, tossing them to the floor. Her hands cupped the hard bends of Yun's shoulders as she stretched catlike along her back. Her stomach, her breasts, her lips all lined up, pressing comfortably into the detective's supple form. Claire felt Yun take a deep breath and let it out slowly, her own body rising and falling as she put a languid kiss just beneath her hairline.
"That feels real good, darlin'." she purred.
Claire smiled against her skin, contemplating a second kiss. She eased her hands forward and found Yun's beneath the pillow, fingers lacing. "More?"
"Depends on your definition of more." if Claire could see her face, she would see a stupid grin and a cocked up eyebrow.
Claire laughed, a brush of heated air against her wife's neck. "Sounds like we're thinking the same thing. So do you?"
"I could be convinced, yeah. What did you have in mind?"
"Are you in the mood to play a game?"
Yun lifted her head, expression flat, but at the same time curious. "What kind of game?"
"It's called trust me."
The detective felt the strangest shudder, a low pulse vibration that buzzed through her from her core. "And how do you play?"
"Just that. Trust me."
"I am both intrigued and wary." she admitted with a little laugh. "What are you gonna do?"
"If I told you, that would ruin the fun." Claire smiling. Sly. "So do you want to play or not?"
Yun had an idea of what was going on, but she didn't let her mind focus enough to make any predictions. She didn't want to spoil it for herself. "Oh, I'm game. Show me what you got, sunshine."
Claire felt a spark, exhilaration that gave her goosebumps. She pressed her bottom lip between her teeth to fight back the urge to let everything crossing her mind in that moment spill out. She eased off of Yun's rump to grab something from her nightstand. Yun had her eyes closed, still resting on the pillow stuffed beneath her chin. She could hear Claire moving about the room, the hushed whisper of carpet fibers under foot. The mattress shifted a little, then she felt a gentle pressure form around her eyes. She opened them to see nothing, and felt the scratch of fabric.
"Darlin' wha-,"
"Trust me." Claire assured her, tying a not-too-tight knot in the folded bandana she had just used to blindfold her. "If you're uncomfortable at all, just tell me."
"Confused...curious...but not uncomfortable."
"Good." She could feel her heart pounding, excitement like an electric charge just beneath her skin. She pressed her bottom lip between her teeth again, finding courage to continue. This had been on her mind for weeks, tonight she had hoped to not be so nervous. Claire reached for the necktie.
Yun couldn't stop herself from grinning as she felt the press of Claire's weight on her back, she even laughed when her wife pulled her hands from beneath the pillow and held them together at the wrist. A little laugh escaped as silk slipped snug around them.
"This is very adventurous of you." she purred.
"Just wait. I'm only getting started."
The grin disappeared at a metallic sound. Something heavy knocking against itself. Then she felt it, something cool wedging between her palms. And then she heard it, a quick, clicking zip of sound that she knew all too well. This woman not only tied her up, but handcuffed her to the bed post -one of the rectangular wooden rungs carved into the headboard. Sweet gods have mercy.
Now her heart began to pound behind her ribs, her body throbbing with the quickening of her blood. The small hairs were standing up again, but for an entirely different reason.
Claire started gently at first, light touches with the tips of her nails and pads of her fingers. At first it felt so good, Yun reveled in the gentle ministrations like the massage. But as Claire continued, moving across her shoulders and down her back, it felt less like butterfly kisses and more like little electric shocks. Shocks of the best kind.
"Gods, babe," she breathed, "keep that up and I'll be sweatin'."
"Is that good or bad?"
"I'm still tryin' to decide." a little laugh and then a restrained groan as those nails dug into the small of her back. "Damn."
"Did that hurt?"
"Oh no, I'm good." Yun panted as she spoke.
Claire bent down, smiling, and kissed above the waist of her slacks. And then she scraped with her teeth to bring forth a hard shiver. With one hand bracing on the bed Claire moved up that beautiful furrow of her spine with her lips and other fingers, feeling the bristle of little hairs on her lips. So far so good.
"Darlin', could ya stop teasin'?" Yun bit out.
Claire didn't answer as she reached Yun's neck, instead she paused. Yun felt her hand under her, the other gripping the waist of her pants and pushing. Yun settled on her back, hands still comfortably restrained above her head. A little whimper worked passed her lips when Claire settled astride her waist. Her weight shifted forward, and then she felt Claire's breath on her face. She could smell her.
"Darlin', please."
"Not yet." her lips hovered millimeters from Yun's. As much as she wanted to kiss her, as much as Yun wanted her to, she held back. Instead she tucked her chin and kissed the heated skin between her breasts, grinning when Yun groaned in frustration. She kissed and nipped and lavished the sweetness of her skin, all the while relishing how Yun squirmed beneath her. The bed frame whined under the strain of Yun pulling against her confines.
Claire's hands splayed across her form, moving over her breasts without touching the already stiffened peaks. The digits thrummed the rise and falls of her ribcage as she inhaled quickly. They eased further down, around the bends of her hips. When she finally allowed Yun a little pleasure, warm, moist lips closing around one nipple, the detective shuddered. Yun's head pressed back against the pillow, her bottom lip between her teeth in an attempt to stifle a powerful moan. She was gasping for breath as Claire's tongue swirled and curled around the sweet token. Claire would give similar attention to the other breast before moving on, moving lower.
Yun's body bowed so prettily, ribs and abdomen in sharp relief as Claire bit down on the tender flesh around the faded scar there. Her hands had moved from Yun's hips to the brass button just beneath her chin, pulling it apart with relative ease. The dull whir of the zipper pulled her attention to it, her fingers hooking to start pulling downward.
"Ya done teasin' me yet?" almost a complaint.
"Almost. Remember, trust me." Claire tossed the remaining garments to the floor, straightening for a moment before crawling back onto the bed. She started again with the feather light touches along Yun's thighs, though she wouldn't spend as much time as she had before. The reactions she was getting from Yun were powerful, any longer and it might ruin the mood somehow.
Claire worked between her legs, kissing her way up and along Yun's inner thigh.
"Damn it, love, please!" Yun Oerba was downright begging.
Claire paused only a second, smirking to herself. Yun had been plenty patient. She'd earned a little relief.
"Oh gods," Yun gasped, "yes, right there."
Claire was careful not to be too persistent, working her tongue and fingers against her core in languid, intentional strokes. It was just enough to sate her wife, keep her interested, make her feel like everything was going as planned. As usual. But Claire was far from finished. She was going to push Yun just so far. Just until her breath started to hitch and the muscles of her thighs fluttered. Then she pulled away.
"Fuck!" Yun snapped, still fighting to catch her breath. Her cinnamon skin was starting to shimmer with a fine veil of sweat. "What are ya tryin' to do t'me?"
Claire didn't answer as she moved from the bed and back again one last time, fetching a final item from her bedside table. She resumed her place, kneeling between Yun's legs, her thighs resting on the crest of her hips. Claire curled her arms beneath her knees and pushed upward, letting them almost bend over her shoulders as she inched a little closer.
Yun was confused for all of two seconds. She could feel the scratch of fabric against her legs, Claire still had her boy shorts on. What the hell was she up to? And the way her hands pulled on her, lifting her hips just so...what was going through her mind? Then her mind was torn free of any thought with a white hot spark of pleasure that ripped through her from her core. Her body bowed upward, her head tipped back and she nearly screamed as Claire filled her in one smooth surge of her hips. It left her gasping, shuddering as the silicone toy settled its full length inside of her.
For a moment Claire was still, watching, marveling at how Yun shivered and stirred. Her head twisted back and forth, a bead of sweat smearing across her cheek, her bottom lip was pressed white between her teeth. Then she started moving, pushing and pulling with her hips, slowly stroking in and out.
"Gods," a whimpering mewl escaped. "Don't stop...please don't."
"I won't." she responded with a breathy whisper. She pulled back just far enough to leave Yun wanting, taking hold of her knees as she leaned forward. She let them bend over her shoulders before pushing all the way back in. Again Yun nearly screamed.
It wasn't going to take much to get her off, Claire knew it for a fact. She knew Yun too well to miss the signs. She could feel Yun's body almost fighting her, pushing against her in the throws of near ecstasy. Just as she could feel her steady thrusts meeting resistance. Still, Claire took her sweet time, she was going to make this last a while yet. No one likes all the flash and bang too soon. Besides, she loved watching her wife like this.
Yun's mind was a white hot nothing, static as pleasure crackled through her hot enough to singe her very veins. Her inability to see or touch had left her other senses heightened, sharp, raw for Claire's vicious, delicious onslaught. Oh gods on high, how badly did she want to touch her. She could just imagine her wife's heated skin beneath her palms, her pert breasts and supple backside. And to kiss her -mercy- Yun's mouth watered for it, her lips burned. And all the while her core wound tighter and tighter against the now quickened strokes. It was almost too much to bear.
"Please, darlin'," Yun pleaded, "lemme see. If I can't touch ya, just let me see."
Claire already had the word of denial in her mind, it wasn't time for that yet. But she wasn't about to let Yun's diligence in putting up with her antics go unrewarded. She moved Yun's legs from her shoulders, let them wrap tight around her waist, and stretched herself along Yun's body. A muffled groan worked through the feverish detective at the skin to skin contact. Claire pressed her lips to Yun's, expecting the carnal hunger she was met with and swallowing the desperate cries with quiet satisfaction. Yun was always so controlled, and she alone was able to tear all of that down like a paper tiger. She'd be a red faced liar to deny how good it felt to have that kind of power.
Yun tore away to breathe, a hint of a smile trying to turn the edges of her mouth. "C'mon, darlin'. I can't take bein' blind anymore. Let me see you."
Fair enough. She had played fair and deserved it. Still grinding into her, rhythm unbroken, Claire pinched the edge of the bandanna between her fingers and pulled it up, setting it aside as she watched her wife blinking in the light. Her brilliant green eyes shimmered into focus on her. Just her.
"Gods, I love you."
The testament almost made Claire blush. Of all things. "I love you too."
"Kiss me again."
There was no hesitation, no more games. It had been fun, now all Claire wanted to do was enjoy this. Enjoy it with Yun. Not that she would take the handcuffs off just yet, seeing as she would have to dismount in order to find the keys.
Claire knew what Yun wanted, at this point she was in savage need of release and she wouldn't much care for how she got it. Claire straightened to her knees and circled Yun's waist with her arms, lifting her almost entirely off of the bed. She was strong enough to do just that. She leaned back a little, resting some of her weight on her heels, angling Yun's hips just so, and giving her sufficient leverage to drive into her hard and fast. Yun came alive with shuddering cries and wild demands for more. And Claire happily obliged as a pearl of sweat rolled down from her temple.
She knew there would be little red welts left behind as her fingers clutched tightly into Yun's skin to hold her steady, and she knew her wife wouldn't give one damn about it. Yun would be proud, she might even prance around the house with them for a while. But all she cared about right now was hitting the apex, and having Claire take her there.
And it would come so hard, so fast, it was almost too much for her to take. It was like shattering glass, pieces flying through the air and shimmering like dying stars. Yun came with a hard shudder, her body seizing suddenly after as the climax hit her. Her head pressed back into the pillow as she cried her wife's name. Claire. She would come back down panting and shaking all over, a whimper working its way out as Claire pulled away. Her hips were tender and her shoulders were starting to cramp, but gods almighty, that was so good.
"Where are the keys?"
Yun blinked, trying to rein her senses back in. "Sh-should be on my belt. There."
Claire found the chrome keys, jingling them between her fingers with an amused expression before doing Yun the courtesy of unlocking the cuffs. The detective groaned a little, glad to move her arms and hands again. There was a redness around her wrists beneath the silk tie, little crescent nail marks on her slick palms. She couldn't help but grin.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, darlin', I'm peachy." though her body was still trying to recover. "What about you? You look awful smug."
"I am, a little." Claire admitted, blushing a little.
"Oi, what are you doin', you're not lookin' for your clothes are ya?" One brow cocked upward, real confusion lining her features. "No way we're finished."
"What? Aren't you satisfied?"
"Of course, but what about you?"
"What about me?" The game had been played -very well actually- and the conclusion was all she had hoped for. Did she need anything else?
"Oh no ya don't," Yun refused with a low growl as she stood up from the bed, "you put those trousers down and get outta the rest of those clothes. You might be finished with me, but I'll be damned if I'm done with you."
Claire couldn't stop the excited squeal that tore out of her as Yun lunged for her, grabbing her about the waist and lifting her off her feet. She was promptly deposited on the bed, still smiling like a knowing fool.
"What kind of person would I be to leave my woman wanting?" Yun smirked as she hovered above her. One hand braced on the bed while the other was pulling at Claire's boy shorts. Determined. "So tell me, darlin', what's your pleasure?"
Claire helped, lifting her hips so Yun could liberate her from the remainder of her clothes. She let Yun settle between her legs, her cerulean eyes flashing as skin touched skin. Claire watched Yun's now free hand gently ease down her front, between her breasts and over her stomach to the apex of her thighs.
"Just you." she breathed, feeling her wife's confident fingertips working her center so slow, so gentle.
"You sure that's what you want?" Yun leaned in and kissed her, staying close enough to do so again if it fancied her. "You're paintin' with an awful broad brush. I mean...I could take that so many ways..."
"Surprise me." Claire smirked, eyes threatening to roll back as she felt Yun's fingers press into her.
"Yeah?" another kiss. "Never pegged you for likin' surprises."
"I trust you."
"Oh darlin'," Yun smiled, shaking her head with a breathy chuckle, "here's to hopin' I don't make ya regret it."
Rest assured, regret was the farthest thing from Claire's mind. It wasn't even a thought as all of her senses were overwhelmed with Yun. The smell of her, the warmth of her presence, and the delicious pressure of her hands and mouth on her body. Gods above. Claire came in a slow upheaval, her heels digging hard into Yun's shoulders, her hands twisting into fists in the blanket. And at its peak she breathed her wife's name in carnal surrender.
Yun would curl her limbs about her wife in the after glow, holding her close and kissing her temple. Claire shifted a little towards her, tucking her head beneath Yun's chin and laying her hands atop the arm that was draped across her breasts.
"I love you." Yun murmured. "So much."
Claire smiled, comfortable. "I love you too. Did you enjoy the game?"
"I did." Yun grinned against the rosy tresses, taking in Claire's scent. "We should play it again sometime."
"You think so? It wasn't...weird?"
"Did I sound like it was weird?" Yun kissed the top of her head. "I know what you're gettin' at...don't worry. Everything was fine."
"Okay."
"What about you? Personally, I don't think I could hold a candle to that, but I tried."
"It was wonderful." Claire assured her, inching a little closer. "Being with you always makes me happy."
"Good to hear." Yun played with a stray strand of her hair, curling it around her fingers. "Not too bad for our first year, huh?"
"It's definitely a good start." Claire smiled to herself, her grip on Yun's arm tightening. "So...you hungry yet?"
Yun shrugged a little. "Let's have steak for breakfast."
Claire could only laugh, sharing her wife's idea of simply being too comfortable to do anything else.
Author's Note: Well, there it is. I told myself I wasn't going to do it, but I did it anyway. If it seems like less than my best, it's fair. My brain is tired, its ready to write about something else for change. Which is next on my list of the things to do. I'm still planning the video, so that should be out by the end of April at the latest. Be sure to check out .com for the link. I'll post it in a journal, but if you're late to the party, I'll likely put a secondary link in the Author's Comment section on the first chapter in my DA gallery. Love you all, and thanks for riding along with me.