Cloud Watching
"Look, that one looks kind of like a pastry!"
"What?"
"Yeah! It's round and fluffy, you can kind of see the filling coming out there, look!"
Azura gave a snort of laughter. "Do you see anything that isn't food?" Corrin made a soft noise and when Azura turned her head to look at her, she found she was pouting.
So cute.
"It's not my fault the clouds all had a meeting and decided to look delicious," she whined, crossing her arms. They were lying side by side in the grass on the hill overlooking camp, enjoying a quiet moment of peace.
"I think you're just hungry, love."
"Am not."
"If you insist," Azura chuckled, looking back up at the large wads of cotton floating lazily across the blue sky. "Oh, look, that one looks a bit like a fox!"
"Where?"
"That one," Azura said, pointing up. "You see the fluffy tail? And the ears?"
"You mean the one that looks like an eclair?"
"Now you're just doing that on purpose," Azura scolded lightly, giving Corrin a light, playful smack. Corrin laughed.
"Maybe. Teasing you is fun."
"Is it now?" Azura said, sitting up and raising an eyebrow. "You're about to regret saying that, princess," she grinned.
"No, wai- AHAHA, STOP STOP!" Corrin cried as Azura fell upon her, tickling her beneath the arms. "AZURA, NO-! BWAHAHA, AH, AH! PLEASE!"
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" Azura shouted, her voice overcome by a fit of giggles.
"WAHHH, ENOUGH!" Corrin roared, and the skin beneath Azura's fingertips suddenly became plated as two hands reached up to grab her by the wrists. Corrin stared up at Azura, breathing heavily, her face flushed. "Enough," she said softly.
"Your expression doesn't look like you've had enough," Azura teased. Corrin blushed further, and Azura felt her heart ache at the adorable expression.
"You're awful, Azura."
"Maybe a little," Azura admitted. She kissed Corrin's forehead softly. "But only because I love you."
The hold on her wrists disappeared and Azura suddenly found herself pulled down by the waist into a tight embrace.
"You're going to kill me," Corrin whispered, hiding her face in Azura's shoulder. "My heart is going to explode," she groaned.
Azura couldn't help laughing slightly as she nuzzled into Corrin's neck. "Maybe you should let it."
She felt Corrin kiss her shoulder gently, her fangs scraping slightly against her skin. Azura shivered at the familiar sensation.
"No, I don't want to die just yet," she replied, pressing her cheek against Azura's collarbone. "I love you too much to leave now."
Azura felt her face grow warm.
Gods help me, I'm the one who's dying. No one should be allowed to be this cute.
She closed her eyes, letting Corrin's warmth and familiar scent overwhelm her.
A Winter Stroll
The street was quiet, picturesque. The snow fell silently, covering the houses, muffling the sounds of the evening. The street lamps shone gold, and Azura felt like they were walking down the middle of a Christmas postcard, their breath rising in white clouds in front of them.
"It's freezing," Corrin shivered, burying her hands into her pockets. Though she'd worn three layers under her jacket, she had always been prone to cold, and her cheeks were bright red from it.
"Why didn't you bring your scarf?" Azura asked as they turned the corner.
"I forgot it on the couch," she sighed. She huddled in on herself, looking a bit like an overstuffed marshmallow.
"You're always forgetting things, aren't you?"
"Hey... that was one time..." Corrin said sheepishly, looking down at the snow beneath her feet.
"Yes, you only forgot your keys once, but what about that time you forgot to feed the cat? Or the time you forgot to buy the potatoes you went to the store to get in the first place? Or all the times you've forgotten someone's birthday-"
"Okay, okay, I get it!" she cut in, abashed. "So I'm forgetful, sue me."
"I might," Azura said lightly, trying not to smile.
"Ha ha, funny. Lawyer humor, priceless."
Azura laughed quietly. "You always say that, but you're grinning, Corrin."
"Not at the joke, I promise you," she said, sticking out her tongue at Azura. Her nose crinkled slightly, her expression playful. Azura felt her heart skip a beat.
"Cute," she said aloud, and Corrin blushed.
"N-not at all..." she muttered, pulling her hands out of her pockets to blow hot air into them.
"Very," Azura chuckled. She unwound her scarf and wrapped it around her girlfriend's neck. "There, now you're nice and snug," she said warmly. Corrin blinked at her for a second, then wrapped her arms around her.
"God, I love you so much, Azura," she said, burying her face in Azura's shoulder. Azura laughed.
"Your nose is cold!" she cried, and Corrin purposefully pressed it against her exposed neck. "Eek! No wait, stop!"
They were both giggling now, the sound of their voices echoing down the deserted street.
"Warm meeeee," Corrin whined, her voice breaking with the laughter she was trying to disguise.
"You're being hopeless, Corrin," Azura snorted. Regardless, she reached to stroke Corrin's dark hair softly.
"Marry me, Azura," Corrin muttered into her shoulder, and Azura stopped mid-stroke.
"H-Huh?"
"Marry me," Corrin repeated, pulling away to look Azura in the eyes.
"Where did this-?"
"Aw, crap, I messed up," Corrin groaned, pressing a hand to her face. "I was supposed to ask you at dinner. I have a ring and everything," she said, embarrassed. She looked so cute and sweet that Azura couldn't help taking her face and kissing her.
"I can still pretend to be surprised," she whispered.
"Is that a lawyer's roundabout way of saying yes?" Corrin asked breathlessly, her hands around Azura's waist.
"Perhaps," Azura smiled. "Or I can get it to you on paper, if you like."
"I'd like that very much."
By Candlelight
Azura stifled a yawn, her eyes blinking sleepily as they tried to focus on the words in front of her. They were growing blurrier with each sentence she read, and she found that she was losing the ability to make sense of what she was reading.
Ah, I should go to sleep, she thought tiredly, rubbing her eyes and turning to look at the candle on her bedside table. Already the wax had melted more than halfway, meaning that it was growing late. She paused, her mind empty of thought, staring at the darkness blankly for a moment.
"Azura? Something wrong?"
The woman at her side made a small yawning noise and shifted slightly, stretching herself out on the sheets like a cat. Unlike Azura she was completely naked, her pale skin shadowed by the flickering candle. A pair of piercing red eyes caught the light unnaturally, a faint orange-like ring shining in her already reptilian irises. Black hair cascaded over her bare shoulders, the dark tresses obscuring Azura's view.
Azura found that her thoughts were less empty now, and far more concerned with brushing that soft hair aside.
"Ah, no, sorry to startle you," she said softly, looking back at her book, somewhat embarrassed by her thoughts. "Go back to sleep, Corrin."
"Mm, alright," Corrin said sleepily, but although Azura was determined not to look up, she could feel those eyes boring holes through her. A faint blush worked its way up her neck; she had been rereading the same string of words for several minutes now.
She swallowed a knot of nervousness. "Did... you want something?" she asked, her voice more timid than usual. She still wasn't used to this level of intimacy, despite the fact that they had been sharing a bed for several weeks now. Corrin was even worse; perhaps it was the dragon in her blood, but she seemed to be a trembling, shy mess one day and a passionate, shameless lover the next.
Considering all the signs, I think this is one of those latter times, Azura thought, her heart pounding in her chest at the thought. As if to confirm her suspicions, Corrin suddenly wrapped her arms around Azura's waist, tugging her closer.
"Just you," she murmured into Azura's side. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran down Azura's spine.
"A-ah... I see," she replied awkwardly. She was normally the calmer, more rational of the two, but when Corrin got like this she often found herself being pulled into the younger woman's pace instead.
"I don't," Corrin said pointedly, her hands tugging at Azura's dress. "Too much clothing."
Despite herself, Azura laughed. She really is singleminded.
"I thought you were sleepy," she smiled, closing the book. She already knew she wasn't going to read any more for the night.
"I am, but I'd sleep much better after getting this blasted thing off," Corrin said, her eyes glimmering mischievously in the candlelight.
"Your eyes look very dragonish right now," Azura noted aloud. That made Corrin grin.
"Well, it's not really my time of the month or anything, but I can't help being a dragon, Azura," she teased. "I have a certain fondness for flesh, you know?"
Yes, she's definitely in one of the peaks of her heat cycle. She would normally never say something like that without turning redder than the sun.
"The marks you've left me are proof enough," Azura sighed. Corrin suddenly sat up, taking one of Azura's hands.
"Sorry," she said sincerely, her expression conflicted. "It's hard for me to control myself... I hope I haven't hurt you too badly..."
She looked so much like a lost child that Azura felt her heart squeeze painfully. She hugged her, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"Of course not, I was only teasing," Azura assured her, burying her face into that soft shoulder. Corrin always smelled rather earthy, like moisture right before it rained. It was a calming scent, and Azura had always loved it. "I know you don't do it on purpose... don't worry."
Corrin seemed to relax in her arms at her words. "Okay," she whispered.
She wasn't sure how much time passed in the embrace, but Azura nearly fell asleep. It was only when she felt the tug of the ribbons on her nightdress that she snapped awake.
"Corrin!"
"What?! I thought this was what we were leading up to in the first place?" she frowned, pulling away with a petulant look on her face. In the flickering light, her skin seemed to change shape and substance, her breasts casting a shadow over her stomach that seemed to have a mind of its own. It was a strange image, but not altogether unsuited to Corrin.
I suppose this is what it's like to love a dragon, Azura thought to herself. She sighed and reached behind her back to undo the ribbons herself.
"Blow the candle out then," she said as she pulled the dress up over her head. A second later Corrin obliged and Azura felt her kiss her shoulder gently.
"With pleasure, princess," Corrin muttered, her voice low and filled with desire.
Rain
The rain pattered down on the roof all evening, until the soothing noise began to fade into the background, lulling Azura into quiet contemplation. She lay on the carpet face up, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts far away.
She hardly noticed when Corrin came to stand over her, holding two mugs of something steaming, her robe pulled over her already warm pajamas.
"Hey, I thought you might like some chocolate," she said nonchalantly. Corrin was too used to Azura's odd moments of thoughtful silence to think much of finding her splayed on the floor. It took her a moment to realize she was being spoken to.
"Sorry, what was that?" she asked, sitting up, feeling slightly disoriented.
"Chocolate. Hot," Corrin said briefly, holding the cup out for her. Azura took it.
"Thank you."
"Mhm," Corrin said, then made for her armchair by the fire. She put her own mug down on the small table and climbed into the soft chair; as always, she looked rather ridiculous in it. She had insisted on buying the largest, most plush chair she could find, which resulted in her sinking in until her body seemed to have shrunk entirely. It looked even worse when she tucked her legs beneath her as she read. Azura liked to watch her read when she was sitting there. A childlike wonder seemed to come over Corrin whenever she read, and Azura had caught her chewing on a strand of her hair nervously more than once during particularly good passages. She thought it was cute to see Corrin so passionate about something.
Then again, she usually thought Corrin was cute, no matter what she did.
A faint crack of thunder echoed in the distance, and Azura turned to look out the window. It was pitch black outside, but the rain was still falling as strongly as ever. She sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding the mug tightly as she listened, her thoughts once again drifting away.
"You really love the rain, don't you?" Azura turned to see Corrin watching her, her hand holding open the book she had been reading.
"Mm," Azura replied, lifting the chocolate to her lips. She tried not to grimace; as usual, Corrin had forgotten the sugar. "It's... relaxing. I thought you were going to read, though?"
"I will, in a minute," Corrin shrugged. "I just wanted to talk a little. You've been out of it all day."
"Sorry... I just kind of space out when the weather gets like this."
"Something on your mind?"
"Not really, it just feels nice to let everything go... does that make sense?"
"Hmm, I suppose so," Corrin said thoughtfully. "I've never been able to wipe my mind blank though... so I can't really relate."
"That's fine," Azura chuckled. "I don't know why, but I imagine your head to be full of running commentary for some reason."
"That's probably because that's exactly how I work," Corrin said, turning her eyes back to her page. "There's hardly ever a moment of silence in there." She clicked her tongue, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Now I'm imagining a small version of you living in your head, sitting behind a desk in a full suit like a newscaster."
"'In other news, you have married an amazing woman, far too pretty, far too intelligent, way out of your league,'" Corrin narrated in a pompous tone, unable to hold back a grin. "'Try not to panic, Corrin- Oh wait, too late, she's a goner.'"
Azura laughed. "Who said I'm way out of your league?"
"Me. Oh and probably every other rational human being in the world," Corrin said cheerfully, taking a sip from her mug and frowning at the taste. "Damn, forgot the sugar again..."
"Oh Corrin, you're hopeless."
"Well jeez, no need to kick a bad cook when she's down..."
"No you idiot, I meant about me being out of your league," Azura sighed, pulling herself to her feet. "That's absolutely ridiculous," she added as she walked over to take Corrin's mug. She pulled it from her fingers and set it on the table with her own, then knelt at Corrin's feet, taking both of her hands. "I would never have dated you, much less married you, if I really thought that."
"Just because you don't think it doesn't mean it's not true," Corrin muttered, unable to catch Azura's eye.
She always was prone to uneasiness and a lack of confidence... I wonder if seeing me distant made her feel like I was pulling away from her...
"It's not," Azura assured her, squeezing her hand gently. "Look at me, Corrin." Those red eyes reluctantly looked down at her, and Azura saw that she was biting her lip slightly. She meant to say something to reassure her, to affirm that she truly did love her. Instead, what she said was, "What a cute expression," and Corrin blinked at her, surprised.
"That... was... not what... I expected you... to say next," she stuttered.
"Oh." A warm blush crept over her cheeks. I really am out of it today.
A flash of lightning illuminated the room, and Corrin broke into a smile.
"Heh, I could say the same for you," she giggled. She pulled her hands free of Azura's grip and cupped her face, leaning down to kiss her. Azura closed her eyes, reaching up to wrap her arms around her waist, but they miscalculated how much Corrin would have to lean in because of the softness of the chair. One moment they were kissing, the next there was a yelp and they were both sprawled on the carpet with the breath knocked out of them.
"Ow! Goddammit!" Corrin swore, trying to disentangle herself from above Azura. Azura grabbed onto her robe, forcing her to stay in place.
"No, don't go," she said, pulling her wife back toward her. "I'm not done with you yet."
Corrin's face went red.
"R-right now?! Here?!"
"Yes... I know the rain makes me seem a little distant..." Azura said, running the back of her hand down Corrin's cheek. "So perhaps it would be best if you helped me drown it out."
The thunder rolled loudly overhead, and Azura saw Corrin gulp slightly, her cheeks flaming.
"I... I don't think I can get you to drown that out," she whispered.
"There's a first time for everything," Azura said seriously, and before Corrin could get in another word she pulled her down for another kiss.
Azura hardly noticed when the rain began to clear about an hour later.
Notes:
This is how I survive the wounds I tear in my own heart while writing CTaF. By writing cloyingly sweet fluff that would never make it into an extended story.
I originally meant to get some real smut in there but I wrote these in between playing Pokemon Moon and it felt... WRONG to write so much sin right after the childlike innocence of my eleven year old self. Maybe next time.