The first thing that came into my head when I woke next was that I seemed to be lying on something soft. I cracked open my eyes and once my vision cleared I found a blanket covering me from my neck down.
I lay there for several minutes dozing off at one point only to startle awake as the cushion beneath me sank slightly. When I saw Tezzeret turning his head to look at me I blinked at him as he slowly smiled, leaning down close enough to plant a light kiss against my forehead.
"Good morning, Ailis." He said, watching on with a raised eyebrow as I pushed myself up. "You should be sleeping."
"I should say the same about you, Tezz." I groaned as he reached around and with his help I finally sat grimacing a little as I did. "Still...thanks for the blanket."
"You're welcome." Tezzeret leaning over and I sighed into the kiss he gave me, chuckling when I rested my forehead against his. "Feeling any better?"
"A little I suppose." I mumbled and he chuckled, his right hand moving towards my cheek. When he stroked it gently I sighed, reaching up to intertwine my fingers through his metal ones. "Thanks for taking care of me. You know how much I appreciate it don't you?"
"Of course. I also appreciate how much care you have shown me on several occassions." Tezzeret replied, lightly kissing my nose and I giggled moving closer so that I could plant a kiss on his lips.
Seeing his eyes widen made me grin and he blinked when I nuzzled my neck. "I'll make sure to show you just how much I appreciate it when I'm feeling better." I promised, earning myself a grin and two slightly red cheeks from my boyfriend.
"I will hold you to that promise, Ailis." He agreed, giving me a kiss when I giggled.
A week later...
"You want to leave Ravnica?" Tezzeret asked, his eyebrows raised and I rolled my eyes at the stare he gave me. Shaking my head I closed the distance between us as he adjusted the cloak he'd started wearing constantly, even knowing that Ral Zarek was keeping his distance from us.
I had given it to him as a gift and a silent apology for the way my friend had treated him. Even though I knew Ral was only following our new living guild-pact's orders I kept my distance and after spending the day away from Jace and my fellow planeswalkers I found the cloak and a note on the couch.
Ailis, this is for Tezzeret. Let him think this is a surprise from you and not me. It will help him conceal himself better when he finally ventures outside.
Though I was slightly annoyed that Jace had entered my home unannounced I was grateful for the peace offering so I gave it to Tezzeret that same morning once he stumbled from the bedroom we now shared. He accepted it with that same smirk and I smiled when he pulled it on, finding that it was a perfect fit.
"Just for a few hours. Besides I've been coped up here for too long and I could use the fresh air. Yes I know I'm undead but just humor me okay?" I told Tezzeret who lowered one eyebrow at me.
"You're afraid that storm mage will try something aren't you?" He asked, satisfied when I snorted at him. "Ailis, I can take anything that mage can throw at me. As you already know." He pointed out, waving his new etherium arm in a circle and I rubbed at the bridge of my nose. "Besides after the last confrontation Ral Zarek will think twice about tangling with me."
"I know that he won't come after you again, Tezz but I want to practice my planeswalking and you've had more practice than me. Unless you don't want to teach me?" I asked, my lower lip trembling as he stared at me. After a few seconds he grumbled something about annoying undead before he finally sighed.
"Alright, Ailis. But I get to choose the plane. Take my hand and don't let go for any reason. I don't want my girlfriend to get lost." Tezzeret finally agreed and I grinned, moving to his side before I reached for his outstretched etherium hand.
I felt a tug and with a brilliant flash of blue light the four walls of my bedroom vanished, making me briefly close my eyes. When I felt Tezzeret squeeze my hand I cracked open an eye to find him gently holding my hand and I stepped close as he gave me a reassuring smile. "Just follow me. I'll make sure you're safe." He whispered to me focusing on leading me through the Blind Eternities before we reappeared standing on the street.
"Welcome to Kaladesh. Right now we're in the city of Ghirapur." Tezzeret announced, releasing my hand.
"So this is Ghirapur?" I asked Tezzeret who gave me a slight nod, taking my hand in his etherium one. I let him lead me through the streets noticing not too far into the walk that he seemed to be avoiding the main streets in favor of the side ones and after the second time he gently tugged me into the side street I stopped walking, looking at him with a raised eyebrow when he stopped.
"Tezz, what's going on? Is there a reason you've been avoiding the nearby crowds? I can hear them all around us." I said to him when he cocked an eyebrow at me fixing the strangest looking smile I'd even seen cross his face. "Tezzeret, are you keeping secrets from me again? You know I trust you but do you trust me?" I sighed, releasing his hand and he sighed running a hand through his dreadlocks with a grimace.
"Ailis, I'm not really too welcome here after some unpleasantness. That's why I'm avoiding walking the main streets but I still plan on taking you somewhere very special." Tezzeret finally admitted and I rolled my eyes at him, taking his hand again.
"There's more I'm sure you're not telling me but I choose to trust you. Though it might be a good idea to wear your hood so no one recognizes you." I suggested and he nodded, giving me a faint smile as he reached up with both hands. Tugging the hood down over his head I gave me a smile now only able to see his face in shadow. "You know you look very handsome in that jacket. I never realized that before."
"Really, Ailis?" Tezzeret responded and I grinned as he flashed a quick smile. "I'll remember that." He added, guiding me further through the side streets. I wasn't entirely sure where the artificer was heading but I trusted him and as I followed at his heels this time I stared at his back.
While Jace came by to check on me while I was recovering I heard him talking about Kaladesh. I mentioned that plane to Tezzeret and he tensed up. I told him the reason I came back as a sentient undead and that took a lot for me to trust him with secret. But he won't even tell me why he doesn't like Kaladesh.
"Ailis?" Tezzeret whispered and I jerked when he stood over me, giving me a tiny smile once he saw me blinking back at him. "Did I scare you?" He teased and I snorted, crossing my arms against my chest when he tilted his head back with a laugh. "I wanted to tell you that we're here but you were in your own little world." He added as he guided up up a set of spiral stone steps that lead us towards the skyline. After walking for a few minutes Tezzeret pulled back a curtain, coughing a little from the dust before he motioned for me to step forward. I did a little curious and as he followed he pulled the curtain back.
Once I saw the balcony I grinned, moving close to the edge before I peered down into the streets below, looking up to see the sky so close I felt like I could reach out and touch it with my fingers. I was so focused on looking up that I didn't see Tezzeret sneaking up behind me until he grasped my arm and I yelped, nearly stumbling forward until he pulled me back into his arms.
"That was not funny, Tezzeret." I grumbled watching as he looked down at me with a smirk. "I could have fallen into the streets below. Where exactly are we?"
"Where I used to stay when I was still Grand Consul but that's a story I'll tell you some other time. Besides I thought you might like to visit my quarters far from anyone who would dare invade our privacy." Tezzeret told him and I tilted my head to one side this time, earning myself a chuckle and a slow smile before he shot forward. I gasped finding myself caught between the artificer and one of the pillars keeping the roof from falling in on us.
"Tezz, why should I care about our privacy? What are you planning, artificer?" I whispered, watching on with some interest as he reached up with his right hand. Feeling his fingers brush my hair back I found myself staring directly into his eyes unable to break away before he leaned towards me.
The kiss that followed brought back the memory of our first kiss, sending a tingle through my stomach but Tezzeret didn't stop there and I shivered when his mouth moved to my neck. "Actually just do whatever you had in mind." I managed to stammer as I felt Tezzeret's lips on my neck.
"That's exactly what I plan to, Ailis." Tezzeret whispered into my right ear giving it a flick with the very tip of his tongue and I groaned as I reached around with my right hand. Finding my hand gripping the back of his cloak Tezzeret grinned briefly, focusing all of his attention on the bare skin between the neckline of my own cloak and the base of my chin.
As his lips traveled my throat, he kissed and nipped my skin enjoying the gasps and sighs that came from my partly open mouth which he soon took advantage of, his tongue slipping into my mouth.
He explored my mouth with his tongue, earning a groan of pleasure and as his tongue curled around mine he sucked on it. Forgetting all about my earlier frustration at being kept in the dark I wrapped my left hand around his waist to steady myself and he broke off the kiss his lips curling into a grin when he saw that my face and neck were a deep green.
"You're not angry at me at all now are you?" He whispered, brushing my cheek with his etherium fingers and I shrugged pleased when he chuckled. "I didn't think so." He added, his left arm casually sliding down my body and I jerked eyes widening when he gave my backside a squeeze.
"Tezzeret, I can hardly stay mad with you. Especially now when you're trying so hard to please me." I replied and his lips curled into a smile.
"Are you sure you want to be seduced right here? Anyone could look up from any of the surrounding balconies and catch us making love." Tezzeret asked and I raised both eyebrows in shock, trying to shift my body away from the pillar in favor of a couch near the stairs and as far away from the balcony as possible. Tezzeret wouldn't allow it and with his warm body keeping me pinned I could only move my head and my eyes widened.
The next kiss he gave me was so hot that it made my undead heart pound and my knees weak. "I wasn't leading you through all these side streets just to keep us hidden away. In fact..." He trailed off, gently skimming my skirt before his metal fingers disappeared under it and I let out a low moan my head shifting as much as I could when I felt his index finger slide into me, "I was planning on seducing you on this very balcony so close to the crowds below. Though if you start making so much noise someone is bound to intrude on our time together." He finished as he watched me shudder, bucking my hips as he slowly stroked me.
"Tezzeret, you're not being serious about having sex with me when we could be discovered?" I breathed, arching my back when he inserted a second finger. "You...can't just...touch me like that and think I can keep quiet." I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle my cry as he started to increase his strokes but that did nothing to help and Tezzeret heard his name being moaned from beneath my fingers.
He's not messing about. Someone could see us...ooh but his fingers feel so good inside me. By the gods when did he get so good at foreplay?
He watched on with a smirk, unable to look away as I panted his fingers pushing me close to my limit only to feel him withdraw and I whined deep in my throat. "That's not fair, artificer." I complained, panting softly as he looked on with a grin. "You can't just push me that close to the edge only to pull back."
"Are you sure you want me to continue? What if someone hears us having sex and decides to find out where all the noise is coming from?" Tezzeret argued and I whimpered as he brushed his lips against mine, his metal fingers rubbing against my clitoris. "What if they find you pinned to this balcony, moaning my name as I use my fingers on you? I've barely even started and you're already close to having an orgasm." He whispered into my left ear and I melted as he nuzzled my neck, lightly brushing my skin with his lips as he teased me with just his fingers.
"Tezzeret...please. Stop teasing me. I don't care who hears us anymore just make me come." I begged and he nodded, his fingers slipping deep inside me. His strokes were fast and strong not letting up until I bit my lower lip so sharply that I felt hot blood trickle down my chin as I came hard, groaning his name my hands gripping his cloak as I struggled to stand upright.
Gently, Tezzeret kept me steady and I buried my face in his chest panting softly until after letting out a breath I raised my head to see him with a faint smirk on his lips. "Ailis, I'm not finished yet. Not by a long shot." He warned giving my lip a lick with his tongue and I gave me a tiny nod. "Good. That's what I like to see." He whispered to me, capturing my lips with his own as he used his left hand to unbuckle his pants.
I was so distracted by the kiss he gave me that I didn't even notice until he knelt slightly then I was groaning when he thrust upwards burying himself deep inside me. That finally brought a groan from Tezzeret's lips as well and once he focused on my face he noticed I now had a smirk on my lips.
"So you enjoy sex as much as I do huh? I never would have guessed that about you, Tezz." I teased him, giving his nose a kiss and he let out a laugh nuzzling my neck for a moment before he cupped my backside in his left hand.
When he started to move his hips going slow at first I gripped his cloak, enjoying the way he felt inside me and as he moved I started to buck my hips. I clung to his back using both of my hands to hold onto him as he moved faster and when Tezzeret slid out I groaned only to find myself spun around. Now facing the pillar I felt Tezzeret's hands move to my backside and I moaned as he thrust into me from the back, using his left hand to steady himself against the pillar before he started to move grunting as he did.
Pinned to the pillar I could only moan and buck my hips as Tezzeret rode me, his etherium hand sliding across my skirt before it disappeared around the front and I jerked as his metal fingers started to rub against my clitoris. "Tezzeret." I moaned and he tilted his head back a laugh emerging from between his lips before his mouth moved to my neck and I jerked as he nipped my neck, leaving a mark that he sucked at. Tezzeret brought me to the edge more than once though once he sensed I was close he slowed, denying me and I whined arching my hips to meet his. Pleased he started to move all over again only to ease up once again leaving me panting and slightly annoyed.
"Tezzeret, stop it. I know what...you're doing and it's...not funny." I complained when he denied me a third chance at an orgasm. Tezzeret, secretly pleased at his prowess finally couldn't stand it any longer his own body urging him on and I shuddered as he started to thrust faster than before.
Once his thrusts grew erratic Tezzeret could feel me shuddering my cries getting louder and he kissed my neck, managing to speak despite the waves of pleasure that flowed through him. "Come for me, Ailis. I want to hear you scream for me." He urged as he thrust hard and that pushed me over as I cried out, no longer afraid of being heard as my climax hit. I dug my fingernails into the stone in front of me chipping a few of my nails as I panted. A few seconds after me Tezzeret grunted and as he came with a shout I briefly heard my name which brought a faint smile to my lips.
When I finally stopped shaking I found myself sitting on the hard floor Tezzeret's right arm draped around my shoulders. "Tezzeret, that was amazing. You were amazing." I whispered once he lifted his head and he chuckled, cupping my chin with his left hand.
"I was very impressive wasn't I?" He answered, kissing me gently before he dragged himself to his feet. Holding out his etherium arm he helped me up and I leaned against his chest still wobbly from our lovemaking. "I think a nap is in order." He added with a yawn and I nodded, leaning on the artificer as we stumbled towards the couch I'd seen earlier.
Once I was seated I waited for Tezzeret to sit beside me before I lay across the artificer who chuckled. "This was a very good idea, Tezz." I mumbled as I closed my eyes with my upper body lying across his legs. Tezzeret rested his head on the back of the couch, lying his right arm over my back before he closed his eyes.