Island Wolf: Gah, I am so sorry this chapter took so long! I started my work term at the beginning of this month and I have been absolutely flat out with work. Unfortunately this means that updates from now on will be a little slower, but I will do my absolute best! I really, really hate to admit it, but this chapter is kind of filler, but at least its fluffy filler and there is one important scene with regards to the main plot. There will be no 50 Shades of May in this chapter (dude you know you're famous for that review now :P) but hopefully we'll get there by the end of chapter 12. This chapter is really just about Maxie and May getting closer, lots of fluff and a bit of humour, so ya'll get to enjoy that. Again, I really apologize if this one seems short and isn't up to snuff, I was reallllly struggling with it - it's one of those situations where you don't want to write it but you have to sort of thing to keep the progression going *le sigh*Also, this chapter is going to be completely from May's point of view, I need to get the swing of writing her POV again and this seemed like a good point to do that.
As always thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved and followed this story you're all so great *hugs* and thanks to everyone on Tumblr who has made mention of this fic, I've nearly dropped my laptop several times from sheer delight and having to fan myself to keep calm haha.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot!
May dragged her hand along the windowsill, marvelling at the feeling of painted wood beneath her fingers. For so long she'd lived in a pallid grey haze, looking at the world through a cage of frosted glass and now this house was a myriad of colour and sensation. Months of routine felt completely new, bright and fresh like the snap of mint – her eyes were clear at last.
Everything captivated her; the warmth of the tea through the ceramic of her cup, the suddenly poignant taste of food, the smells and sounds of the wood burning in the hearth behind her. Maxie had told her that she'd brought a man back from the dead...he failed to realize that he'd done the same for her. She was alive again in a way she never thought possible. The shadows were still there, lurking and hovering in darkened corners with gnashing teeth and venomous tongues. They would never fully go away, she knew that and it was despairing at times – but then he would step into the room and his voice would chase them away. She could almost forget when he smiled at her.
She felt her face grow warm and she held her cup of Earl Grey close to her chest. He was the best part of coming back into the waking world. Everything he'd done for her, everything he continued to do meant more than it ever had before. This man entranced her with everything he did and she loved to watch him, noticing things she hadn't had the capacity to appreciate before. The Maximilian Asher of her early youth had been a hard and caustic individual, whose anger and rage had burned with volcanic ferocity when he stared her down through those impossibly dark eyes. He'd been all jagged edges and hard black basalt as he'd cursed her name and her pious purity. Looking back now she knew better. That man had been hurt, and badly at that, and while his actions may not have been completely justified, she could at least understand.
Moving from the living room to the kitchen, smiling as hardwood transitioned to tile beneath her feet, she gazed out the large window that faced the rear yard. Maxie had resumed the work that had been cut short yesterday, axe in hand and coat discarded. His newly returned Mightyena pawed and sniffed at the freshly split wood, tongue lolling out contentedly as he trotted around the yard enjoying, like her, the thrill of being brought back to life. It was hard to see him, so like Gabriel in looks and temperament. It sent a stab of pain ripping through her chest and she chose instead, to look at the wolf-like creature's master. That soothed the hurt. This man was so unlike the one she'd known years ago – or perhaps she'd simply learned to look deeper than his uniform. His eyes were still dark, but the baleful black that had burned so hotly had been tempered to a warm earthy smoulder that regarded her fondly behind the rims of his glasses. He was still hard and fierce, a soldier to the bone, but there was softness in him too and she'd been so blessed to be privy to the love he was capable of. She took a sip of her tea and smiled against the rim of the cup as he split another log. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to seeing him like this, living so simply in his heavy wools, leather, and tweed – she'd no idea that his background had been so rustic, but she loved every bit of it because it bespoke of a time when he'd been happy, loved by his family and surrounded by peace. Long before he'd been given his uniform and sent away to war.
Smiling still, she turned away from the window and drifted back into the warmth of the living room. She moved to the bookshelves that dominated the larger part of the back wall, dragging her fingers over the spines of the books as she tried to select something to occupy her thoughts for the evening. She paused over one that had caught her eye. Leather bound with no title or identifying marks she set aside her teacup and pulled it free from the shelf. The leather was dry and cracked in several places, but it seemed solid enough and that encouraged her to carefully open the cover to see what its age-yellowed contents held. She gasped softly when her eyes beheld thin, spidery scrawl in black ink captioning black and white photographs from an age long passed.
She was so caught up in the photo album's spell that she failed to hear the front door open.
"What have you got there?"
May swore and turned around sharply to see Maxie pulling off his cap and gloves while his Mightyena trotted over to lay down on the rug in front of the fireplace next to Kella. The Manectric appeared not to mind, though she kept a wary eye open to observe the people in the room. It took only seconds for him to realize what she was holding and an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "Well I'll be damned. I had no idea this was still down here," he said, and then looked at her. "Have you gone through it yet?"
"N-No, I just opened it."
"Well, come on then – at least I can give you a proper narration," he said with playfulness that surprised her as he led her to the couch. She opened the album fully and laid it across their laps while he curled an arm around her waist without missing a beat. She smiled at the sudden warmth and the smell of spruce sap. Their heated encounter this morning had certainly broken down a few barriers and he seemed comfortable with their current situation much to her relief. "Yes, let's see that's my great grandfather there with his wife in front of the old family estate in north Kanto...there he is again with one of his business partners...there are his children - my grandfather is the one in the middle..."
She smiled and listened to him narrate the ages of his family history. Slowly the years passed, she could see it in the changing fashions and the steady occurrence of clearer and coloured photographs. Maxie paused when they came to the wedding photo displaying a man who bore a striking resemblance to him and a lovely woman with raven-dark hair that curled around her shoulders and kind eyes. "Are these your parents?"
"Yes," he said with a fond smile. "That's my father, Richard, and my mother Wilhelmina."
"You look just like your dad," she remarked teasingly, though when they turned the page she looked at him with shock rather than amusement. "Is that you?"
She pointed to a photo of three children, two boys and one girl who seemed to be the eldest. The girl, about five by the looks of it, was a spitting image of Wilhelmina Asher save for the fact that her hair was in bright auburn ringlets. One of the boys, about three, had coal black hair cropped short, holding the hand of the younger who sat on his sister's lap as he was little more than an infant with his dark eyes and wisps of red hair.
When he nodded she couldn't help but shake her head. "I had no idea you had siblings."
"That's my older brother John and my sister Aileen."
"Where are they now?"
"John passed away a few years after my father did, took sick and never recovered. Mother died not long after that. Aileen still lives in Kanto near what's left of the old family."
"Oh, I – I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, it was a long time ago and Aileen managed to make me an uncle five times over," he replied with a wry grin and turned the page. "Oh dear..."
"Maxie – is that you, in a -"
"Yes May, that is a kilt.
She was trying her damnedest not to laugh, but oh lord it was hard. The pictures depicted a family gathering of some sort where a vast majority of the men were, in fact, fully decked out in kilts, sporrans and prince charlie jackets. Maxie looked about sixteen, if she had to hazard a guess, standing with a group of other young men around his age. Cousins most likely, she decided. She had no idea he'd had such heritage, but it made sense – she had come to notice that when Maxie became particularly upset, or impassioned his voice took an odd lilt, the barest clip of an accent she could not place. One mystery solved. Still, her amusement must have shown because he scowled.
"There's nothing wrong with it. It's tradition!"
"I didn't say a word."
"No, but you were thinking it," he grumbled and quickly turned the page. His hand froze over the photograph he found there. It was a picture of him, not much older than he'd been in the photos on the page before, but now he was in the full khaki wool uniform of the Hoenn Army, his beret bearing a silver seal that depicted the crowned Stantler and braided circle of his regiment. May saw his hands shaking as he wordlessly turned the page – that photograph needed no explanation. The next page drew a huffed laugh, though it nearly turned into a sob by the end. More photos of him in uniform, but he no longer stood alone. He was surrounded by men, boys still really, in the same outfit, all smiles as they posed for the camera. Some were snapshots that had been taken without notice of the subjects; basic training, target practice and men singing in the cramped corners of a small pub with glasses and spirits raised high. "How on earth did these get here?"
He carefully pulled one of the photographs free. It depicted a smiling young man in the same uniform and a Breloom at his side, a satchel slung over its shoulder marked with a red medical cross. He turned it over with trembling hands. She could see that Pte. Philip Boyd was scrawled across the back and May saw a spasm of pain flash across Maxie's face. "What is it?"
"I told you not many of us made it home after the war. These photos are from the lads in my regiment...these must have went unclaimed or unwanted afterwards...my mother must've taken them for safe keeping."
May was struck by the sudden realization the most of the smiling boys she saw in these photos were long dead and that Maxie had come so very close to joining them. How cruel that must've been to wake up to a role call that almost no one answered. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and pressed a kiss to his cheek as he put the photo reverently back into place. "We can stop if you like."
"There's not much left anyway," he said, his voice low and hoarse as he closed the album and laid it on the coffee table. "I'm glad you found this...I really am."
"Then so am I," she said softly. "They were good men. You all were, and you still are."
He pulled her onto his lap and laid his head on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck. She felt him sigh deeply. "How did I manage to earn such love from you May," he murmured against her skin. "How could I possibly deserve it?"
She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Maximilian Asher, how could I not love you? You brought me back, you cared for me...you fought for me."
May kissed him deeply then and when they parted she smiled gently.
"I love that brave soldier boy who smiled in those old photographs, and I love the man that he became. Rough edges and all."
His gruff bark of laughter surprised her as he wrapped his arms around her and laid down on the couch, pulling her down so that she was stretched out on top of him. She laid her head down on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart while he trailed his fingers up the thin line of her spine. She'd almost drifted into a doze when she heard him humming and every now and again she would hear a softly sung line or two. He was a fine singer, she decided, his tenor warm and taking on the faint lilt of that far northern country.
"Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows, fair is the lily of the valley. Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne, but my love is fairer than any..."
The pleasantness of the afternoon waned, giving way to a cold evening. Night came dark and swift, and May found that her fear grew with the lengthening shadows.
Like the wonders she'd discovered during the day she found that her vivid senses turned around to bite her with the deepening evening and the cold blackness it brought. She kept glued to Maxie's side until the hour grew late and he was struggling to keep from yawning. He set down his book, blinking drowsily. "Time for bed I think."
This was it, the moment she'd been dreading ever since the sun had started to slip behind the western hills. The concept of being alone for the night was absolutely terrifying. The shadows started to draw closer, crawling out of their hiding places, whispering with a rough and savage hunger. Her anxiety was palpable and Maxie turned to her with an expression of concern. "May what's wrong?"
"I – I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"I don't – I can't be alone."
His lips were suddenly against hers, gentle and warm, and she melted into his arms. "You don't have to be," he said gently as he drew back. "You never have to be alone."
She nodded, blinking hard against the tears that had started to sting her eyes. He smiled and helped her up from the couch to lead her upstairs to his bedroom. The realization that she was going to be sharing a bed with him hit her hard and she felt suddenly shy. It wouldn't have been her first time sleeping in the same bed as a man, lord that ship and more had sailed long ago, but this was different. This wasn't a fling or a one-night stand, this was sharing the company of someone she loved so deeply that it scared her at times. Quickly, she changed into her sleepwear while he went to secure the house and slid beneath the covers. Kella planted herself on the floor next to her side of the bed while Maxie's Mightyena had opted to stay downstairs for the night, much to May's relief. He came back all to soon and followed suit, changing into flannel pants and removing his shirt. She gathered her courage and took a moment to study him. He had a lean build to him, not overly muscled but certainly toned and she knew there was a great deal of strength in those long limbs of his. She nearly smiled at the coarse dusting of hairs across his chest and the rusty line that lead down from his naval to disappear beneath the fabric of his trousers. He also had scars, a myriad of them criss-crossing his pale forearms and dotting his torso. She eyed one silvery mark that looked suspiciously like a gunshot wound and idly wondered how many of those scars could be traced back to the battlefield.
"You alright?"
"Yes, sorry!" she squeaked as he climbed into bed next to her. He raised an eyebrow at the sound and she flushed. "Sorry, I'm just uneasy I suppose."
"I do hope that's not on my account," he said as he removed his glasses and put them on the nightstand.
"No, no – okay maybe a bit. It's – complicated," she sighed. Her hands twitched and she had the sudden urge to bury her head beneath the pillow. "When the dark comes, I just – the thoughts, the memories, are always there, hovering and biting and gnawing."
Her fingers twitched again and she realized that she'd curled them against her chest like claws. "I can only chase them away for so long...eventually they overtake me."
"Come here," he said softly and curled his arms around her waist to pull her in close. She could feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of her shirt as he drew her in close to his chest and rubbed her back in soothing circles. "I know this isn't easy for you and I'm so proud of you for making it this far. It's okay to be afraid, May."
"I just wish it would all stop," she sniffed, burying her face in his chest and breathing in the scent of him. "When I close my eyes – I can't handle it."
"Do you want to talk about it? About what happened?"
"I – I can't...not yet, but I would eventually if that's okay?"
"Of course love," he said softly and kissed her forehead. May felt her face heat up again at the affectionate term and slowly felt the fear ebb away. "Come on, let's get some sleep. Remember I'm right here if you need me."
With that promise he reached over and turned out the light. For one brief, heart-stopping moment they were swallowed up by the darkness, but then slowly the light of the winter moon trickled in casting everything in a pearly glow. Nestled beneath the covers and sharing Maxie's warmth suddenly the dark didn't seem quite so worrisome. She closed her eyes, listening to his breathing deepen and slow as he drifted off into slumber and then slipped into Morpheus' embrace after him.
The trees were hushed and silent, standing tall around her armoured in ice and snow that glittered in the pale sun slanting down between their branches. Her feet and arms were bare, yet she felt no cold and could not scent the pines around her nor feel the touch of the sun.
I'm dreaming
Yes you are
She turned and saw a pair of crimson eyes that shimmered as if lit by some internal flame. The curving, scythe-like horn gleamed in the winter sun, sharp and cruel as the Absol slowly padded towards her, but as it walked its paws made no sound and left no mark on the snow.
Who are you? Why am I here?
Yes, you were expecting the oily darkness and the poisonous tongues, but they are forestalled tonight. I come on behalf of those whom I am bound to. I am a messenger, an oracle, a harbinger.
The Absol's mouth did not move, but the voice came nonetheless. It was breathy and light, neither male nor female, but was rather an indistinct sigh, like the wind whispering through autumn leaves in her mind. The disaster pokémon stopped just inches away from her and for reasons she couldn't fathom she reached out and brushed her fingers against the gleaming gem set in the creature's forehead. It pulsed with light and sent a wave of heat rushing up her arm.
On behalf of whom...and why me?
Walk and I shall tell you
They moved into the shadows of the trees, ghosting between frosted trunks of a forest she knew was more than old; it was primeval. May glanced behind her and saw that she left no tracks, and the winter woods behind them were slowly being consumed by a pale grey fog.
I have followed the Asher family for many years as my kind have done for all of the old families since the elder days. We bring tidings, warn of trouble ahead and herald the doom of those destined to fall. You are now part of that family, your fate is intertwined with one of the last true bearers of that name.
Then...what news do you bring? And why come to me and not him?
The trees came to an abrupt end and the came to the crest of a high ridge that overlooked a river valley and the pale blue silhouette of the mountains far beyond. Without warning the sun disappeared and the world plunged into deep night. There was no moon, but a spread of stars shone brightly against the black backdrop of the night sky. A tremor pulsed through the earth beneath them and the trees behind and in the valley below shivered. A glowing red glyph lit up the valley as it snaked across the frozen ground; it was a shape she knew well with its central circle and three angled lines running out from it.
This land was threatened by the folly of man before, but you saved it. The Earth bowed before you and pledged its loyalty. You are no mere mortal to be recognized by a god as such. Hoenn stands threatened by the hubris of mankind again. The Sea is in chains, the Earth sleeps in peril, and the Sky...
They looked up and the night sky was suddenly torn asunder by a bright green aurora that snaked across the blackness like an undulating serpent. The light should have been beautiful, but here it seemed terrible and filled her with dread.
The Sky is angry
I still don't understand, what am I meant to do?
The Absol looked at her and then down into the valley. She followed its gaze and saw the trees shiver again until they started to twist, shudder and change. They took on the shapes of men and woman, standing tall at attention in neat rows and columns. An army. She looked at the Absol disbelievingly.
The land chose you as its champion and it calls on you again. Your enemy has an army, so too shall one come to you and it is you they shall rally behind. But know this, your war will be terrible and it will not be bloodless.
Far below soldiers started dropping at random, screaming silently as the fell dead in the snow that was stained red with blood and the crimson light of Groudon's mark.
You know this well enough for blood has already been spilled, but there is more to be bled. Your hands will not be clean by this story's ending, for that I am sorry. Fate is cruel and spares no one, not even one so kind as you. The nightmares are still snapping at your heels, but you will tame them in time. The war still goes on despite your seclusion here, you cannot hide from it forever.
Who...who must die?
The Absol turned to face her and for a moment it almost looked sad.
I cannot tell you that.
Then what must I do?
The war will come to you when it is time. When next I come you must be ready to fly, go to the sleeping titan of the Earth, wake him and your army will follow. For now you must forget all I have told you, rest and heal while you can. I will come to you again, and when I do you will remember. When next we meet the flames of war will be kindled into full flame and you must be ready to fight.
For the first time in a long time May woke gently to the light of the sun slanting in through the window. She smiled against the sunlight as its warmth chased away the dreams and for the moment the Absol and its message were forgotten. She rolled over to try and see the clock that hung on the wall and was greeted by a curious pair of ruby eyes.
Maxie's Mightyena was sitting next to her side of the bed where Kella had lain the night before, though the electric-type was nowhere to be seen. The canid cocked his head to one side with a curious expression and put one large paw onto the edge of the bed. May felt her heart pound against her ribcage and bit her lip to cease its trembling. The nightmares are still snapping at your heels, but you will tame them in time. Slowly, she moved her hand next to his paw. He sniffed at her fingers for a moment before his tongue flicked out against them and his tail began to wag. "Hello," she said softly. "I don't think we've been properly introduced."
Beside her she felt Maxie stir and he rolled over, curling and arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him so that her back was pressed against his chest. His raised his head slightly to peer blearily over her shoulder before laying back down with a groan. "Duncan, it's too early for this. I'll feed you later."
The Mightyena whined softly and pricked his ears.
"Don't go giving her the puppy-dog eyes you fiend, go on."
The canine huffed and licked his chops before trotting out of the bedroom. "Honestly it's a wonder he's not too fat to walk the way he eats."
"I like him," May said softly and smiled, blinking away the unshed tears. "He reminds me of an old friend."
"Oh May, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let him wander."
"No, no it's alright," she said, nestling back down in the bed against him. She was fully prepared to drift back to sleep when she noticed something slightly...amiss behind her. More specifically pressing against her lower back. It was all she could do to keep from giggling. "Happy to see me? Your pulse is a bit high for someone who just woke up."
That seemed to jolt him to full wakefulness. He spluttered an apology and quickly rolled onto his back. "Sorry, I -," he looked at her and smiled ruefully. "Can you blame me, you're very pretty you know."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she said as she rolled over to face him. "Now, you take care of your situation, and I'll go make us some tea."
"May -"
"Oh please Maxie, I'm not that young. Give me some credit," she said with a wicked grin and gently patted the telltale bulge in his trousers. He exhaled hard, swearing violently under his breath. She gave him a rub through his trousers and let out a throaty laugh when he closed his eyes and moaned. "I'll take my time. Would you like toast?"
"If you would be so kind," he said dryly as she rose. She grinned and fixed her hair up in a loose bun as she descended the stairs. She immediately headed to the living room, snatching up a quilt to drape over her shoulders before kneeling down to stoke the fire, kindling the embers that had smouldered overnight back into full flame. Satisfied with her healthy little blaze she made her way to the kitchen and filled the kettle before setting it on the stove. She'd just finished buttering a stack of toast when she heard him coming down the stairs. She raised an eyebrow and smirked as she took a sip of her tea. His face was ever so slightly flushed as she passed him a cup of his own.
"Feel better?"
"No thanks to you," he muttered into his tea and was rewarded by a playful swat to his shoulder. "Hey easy, I was kidding."
"Sure," she smirked and bit into a piece of toast. "So what's on the docket for today?"
"The latest weather reports say there's a bad storm blowing down from the north-east at the end of the week, I want to make sure everything on the property is secured and have enough wood to keep us covered for a few days in case we're snow bound."
"Can I help?"
"Of course you can," he said, curling an arm around her blanketed shoulders with a crooked grin. "You can do all the heavy lifting."
"Hn, age finally catching up with you?" she drawled. The gleam in his eye was positively wicked as he set down his tea and curled his arms around her waist. May swallowed thickly as he drew so close that their lips were only a hairsbreadth apart and yet when she leaned in to close the gap he pulled away. Her groan of disappointment quickly turned into a high-pitched whine when he descended on her neck and bit down lightly on the soft skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. He ran his tongue over the faint mark he'd left there and she felt her knees go weak.
"Don't forget, dear May, that with age comes experience," he whispered huskily in her ear and heat pooled in her lower stomach, slowly descending lower with a relentless pressure that made her hips twitch forward against his pelvis, desperate to create some sort of friction. Almost as soon as his sinful ministrations had started he suddenly pulled back, picking up his mug and slice of toast with a victorious bark of laughter.
"Sonofabitch," May growled in one long exhale as she let out the breath she'd been holding and gripped the edge of the counter to steady herself. For a moment she considered launching herself at him, demanding he finish what he started, but then a horrible chill ran up her spine and pale blue eyes, hard and hungry flashed across her mind. She quickly swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat and forced a smile. "I should've known you'd fight dirty."
"Yes, you should have."
"Jackass."
"I heard that."
She was hot, sweaty, and dirty – and grinning like a fool.
Maxie's Linoone was on his back, enjoying a belly-rub from her as they sat side by side next to the fully loaded sledge while the badger pokémon's master was lashing down the logs. They'd spent the better part of the day out at another clearing at the far edge of the property felling wood to restock their supply. Even with Linoone's help it was hard, heavy work and she'd been a little intimidated at first, but she'd surprised herself with her own strength. For a moment she'd been horrified at how easily she could lift the hefty pieces of timber – she was a freak, a monster...but then Maxie's Linoone had waddled over and huffed, bobbing his head to show how impressed he was. That had made her smile and she realized that perhaps this strength, these heightened sensed weren't a bad thing...a gift from the enemy perhaps. If they ever came again, she wouldn't be helpless this time. She'd looked over at Maxie who had been knocking the limbs off of a felled birch with an axe and smiled.
She could protect them now.
Winston crooned and wriggled beneath her fingers. Behind her, from up on the top of the wood pile she heard Maxie huff a laugh. "Oh sure, you're an old grump to me half the time, but she comes along and your on your back like a wee cub."
The greying pokémon looked up at his trainer with an unamused expression and snapped his jaws crossly. "Hey now, settle down the both of you," May chided and scratched Winston beneath his chin. The large badger tilted his head back and a contented growl while Maxie rolled his eyes and finished tying the last of the lines. She watched him, leaning her head back against the trunk of a fallen spruce log. He secured the last knot and that done, vaulted over top of the pile and landed in the snow beside her.
"That's the last of it," he said heavily, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. "We should be good for the next few weeks with this lot."
"Great, back home then?" May said, giggling as Maxie's Linoone climbed onto her lap and reared up, placing his heavy paws on her chest as he pressed his wet nose against her cheek. She could smell the badger's musk as he continued to nuzzle her and laughed. "Oh, look at you! You big softie!"
She heard Maxie make a disgruntled noise beside her and shot him a wicked grin. "Aw, is somebody jealous?" she said, her tone teasing. Winston seemed to pick up on her humour and proceeded to rub his head against May's chest, watching his master with could only be constituted as amusement. May growled and unclipped the Linoone's pokéball from his belt and quickly withdrew the preening badger into the red and white capsule.
"Very."
"Oh, now that wasn't nice."
"Perhaps," he said and kissed her. He removed his gloves and pulled her onto his lap, deftly sliding one hand beneath the heavy sweater she was wearing. May couldn't help but sigh contentedly at the sudden skin-to-skin contact and the soothing heat exploring her torso. Suddenly the world shifted and she was on her back, her legs hooked loosely around his waist as he hovered above her with a fiendish grin. "But I intend to have a bit of fun with you at some point and I'd prefer you didn't smell like Linoone musk."
"You're terrible," she laughed, smacking her hand against his chest lightly. He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. His lips had barely made contact with hers when she decided to use his off-guard behaviour to her advantage. She dropped her left leg, but kept her right over his hip and used it to throw her weight against him. Once he was knocked off balance she forced them into a roll, effectively reversing their position so that she was on top, straddling his waist. He looked dazed and she pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "But I'm worse."
That seemed to draw him back into focus and he laughed, looping his arms loosely around her waist. She watched his smile turn gentle and felt her heart flutter. "I love you."
There it was, that all encompassing warmth that radiated out from her chest every time his said those sacred words. Her heart raced at the look in his eyes, so dark and deep, but filled with unbridled affection. She smiled and took one of his hands in hers, bringing it up so she could kiss the pulse point of his wrist as he cupped her cheek with it.
"I love you too."
Island Wolf: Well...at least it was fluffy right? Don't hit me *cowers*
Oh note, the song I was referencing is called Red is the Rose, it's an Irish tune and doesn't really fit the Scottish background I've carved out in this chapter, but it's such a sweet tune, I couldn't resist. The High Kings do a great version of it, check it out! Ohhh I've also made a playlist for this fic on 8tracks, it's called No Man's Land and my username is damecorvus (ff really doesn't like me posting links in chapters haha)