Most people would look at a wheelchair-accessible roof, and think it was a joke, or just a terrible idea. Most people probably didn't have an extensive background in gymnastics, acrobatics, and parkour, or a family full of the same.
Bruce had done his best, picking a place close to the roof line, installing a trap door and balcony. There were even automatic chocks for her tires, like the ones Babs had in her conversion van. She'd watched fireworks from the chair several times, and a couple of sunsets too. But despite Dinah bringing up a folding chair to put them at the same height, there was still a slight, nagging difference between her experience, and everyone else's.
That was life, though, and Babs usually got over it. She'd gotten very good at getting over or around most obstacles, whether internal or external, and usually she managed to get past this one, too. Her life experience was going to be different from everyone else's, that was an unavoidable fact. Everyone's was, in some ways – it was just more obvious, when she was the only person in the family who had to face such considerations.
So, occasionally, she put her head down and bulled through an obstacle instead.
"You good?" Dinah asked, as Babs locked the wheels in place. She had a pretty well-tuned sense for which approach Babs would pick, and might've expected the answer.
"I want to sit a little higher," Babs replied.
Dinah also knew not to argue that it was more dangerous. Their whole lives were dangerous. Instead, she just asked, "Want a hand?"
"Sure," Babs said, relenting a little.
There was a little walkway up here, between two gables, which was always swept clean of snow for the occasion. That was where everyone else usually sat, just arm's reach away from the platform for the chair – but sometimes even that was too far.
Babs' customary rooftop seat, when she wasn't in the chair, was the sheltered nook formed by the nearest attic window. It had a small flat section, just the right size and height. Once comfortably seated there, Babs could lean back and relax, secure in the knowledge that she wouldn't start to slide down. Dinah also tended to sit just in front of her, for backup. For a couple hours of fireworks-watching, it was sufficiently sheltered.
She knew she could get from the chair to that perch and back under her own power, as long as the walkway didn't ice over. But there was no shame in accepting a little help, when it was offered out of kindness instead of pity. For those who flew under the symbol of the Bat, sometimes it was hard to tell the difference. Dinah was not a pitying sort of person, though, and Babs knew she wouldn't lose an ounce of respect in Dinah's eyes for accepting assistance. If anything, she'd gain more; Dinah rolled her eyes at the Bats' lone-wolf ways.
The easiest and safest way for Dinah to help her was for the blonde to drop to one knee in front of the chair, and wrap Babs' legs around her waist. She had to hold them there – while floating in the pool, Babs had enough nerve conduction to kick, but she had no grip strength at all. She hung on instead with her arms around Dinah's shoulders, ignoring the little voice in her head that complained at her for relying on someone else.
Dinah was strong, but her balance was more important. She walked easily across the little distance required, then turned around and knelt down again, letting Babs get herself situated. "I should've waited for Jay to finish making that triple-decker sandwich, and let him or Kala do the honors," Dinah said, gently teasing.
"He'd panic. And she'd take it way too seriously," Babs replied. "Maybe next year."
"Next year's gonna be interesting," Dinah said, but they were both aware of Kala's hearing, and leery of saying too much. Babs had passed on Dick's gossip, of course, and Dinah was of the opinion that the two kids were both very serious about one another. As long as no one pressured them too soon, they might just get to keep Kala around.
As if the thought had summoned him, Dick poked his head out of the attic window. "Aww, I missed my chance to play gallant swain," he said, grinning.
"Watch it, birdboy, or I'll swain you right off the roof," Dinah teased back.
"The word you're looking for is yeet," he said, climbing out with a platter of hors d'ouvres perfectly balanced in one hand. Dick sat down near the both of them, offering the cheese and olives.
"Jay got Donna to say it, but I'm still resisting," Dinah replied.
Dick just chuckled at her, and the three of them set about snacking. Babs refused to think about any of the several issues demanding her attention. Joker was still not talking, although earlier today he'd laughed to himself, and that boded ill. Selina had told Bruce about the threat from Two-Face, and Babs had set up some extra surveillance around Park Row and Jay's apartment building, just in case. Everything in Libya was still quiet, but that was an ominous quiet, not to be trusted. And the harlequin graffiti was still popping up around the East End, and even further away. Property damage and vandalism calls were up on the police scanner, and the domestic violence calls were no more frequent, but were getting more intense. Emergency room admissions were up. Babs was watching all the trends and knew the situation was escalating, just when Black Mask was rumored to be making bail and Two-Face was trying to cut into Joker's territory. But she was not going to think about any of it just now. They had to spend an hour or two just being normal people, watching fireworks on New Year's Eve, or all of them would burn out. Bruce might live and breathe being Batman twenty-four-seven, but the rest of them needed at least a slight break from the vigilante life. And occasions like this meant they could enjoy that break in the company of people who understood exactly why they needed it so much.
Gradually the rest of the family arrived. No one commented on Babs' chosen perch; she'd sat up here before. Kala did come over to sit near her, and Babs smiled at that. She could accept a little understated protectiveness from a flier.
Jay, of course, sat right on the roof line beside Kala. He actually snuggled up to her, prompting Dinah to warn, "No canoodling, you two. No one wants this to turn into a make-out session with an audience."
"Same goes for you two," Jay shot back. "Also, I'm sitting close because she's warm. Be jealous. I've got my very own solar-powered Super-Snuggie."
Kala made a retching noise, and elbowed him. "I warned you, Robin! I will spew all over you!"
"That's a new kink," Dinah laughed, leaning back against Babs.
Jay and Kala both froze in horror, staring at Dinah, and Babs barely managed to hold in her laughter. Dick didn't, chortling in amusement. "You're twisted, Canary," Jay finally said, shaking his head. She just shrugged.
Tim arrived next, looking at them all dubiously as the laughter trickled away, but he evidently decided it was better not to ask. Helena had a date, so she wouldn't be in attendance, and that left Bruce and Selina as the last ones to arrive. Alfred came with them, bringing up the ice bucket and champagne and chilled glasses, but then he retired. The temperatures were a little too cold for him. Miss Kitty appeared at some point, stalking around all of them and stealing bites of cheese.
"Hey, Tim, how come you're not spending New Year's with the girlfriend?" Jay asked.
"Cassie's at her mom's. We'll see each other at Titans Tower tomorrow," he replied.
"That sucks. Guess you have to kiss Dick when the clock strikes midnight," Jay teased.
Babs turned to glare at him, but Tim only rolled his eyes, and Selina, curled up practically in Bruce's lap, just chuckled. Dick, of course, made ridiculous smooching noises until Tim pulled his scarf over his eyes.
"No roughhousing on the roof," Bruce warned.
"Jeez, no canoodling, no roughhousing, you guys really know how to ruin a party," Jay groused. "I could be on my own roof right now, half-drunk and probably half-naked."
Kala elbowed him fiercely, hissing his name, and Babs sighed aloud. "All right already, you two. Yes, we get it, you missed each other, you're making up for lost time, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseum. Could we please have one family event where you two don't sneak off to have sex?"
"No, 'cause after midnight and champagne we are definitely going to go ring in the new year in style," Jay shot back. Kala just buried her face in his shoulder with a groan, and Babs knew she was blushing.
"That's not sneaking off, it's kind of expected," Dick said.
"Oh? Who do you have on speed dial, Mr. Grayson?" Dinah asked, arching an eyebrow.
"It won't kill me to spend a New Year's Eve with my family," Dick said, smiling. "Jay might die of togetherness though."
"Hey, leave me alone. I have a list I'm only about halfway through," Jay protested.
"You need to get to work. I'd been listening to Babs' voice for over a year before I got to see her face, and it was months before I climbed in her lap in the damn chair and made her acknowledge the sexual tension," Dinah shot back with a superior expression. "I had a list, too, but I damn sure had more stuff checked off by the six-month mark!"
"For a month of that we didn't see each other at all," Jay retorted. "That only had me adding to the list. And sue me if we've got a few more possibilities than you do."
Dinah arched a blonde brow. "You have no idea the possibilities that genius brain of hers comes up with. And I'm not sharing, either. Figure it out."
"No, you're not," Babs scolded. She'd intended to tease Jay a little, not get trolled by her own lover.
"Whatever, she can hover, we've got you beat," Jay snarked.
Dick looked up at Jay and shook his head. "Sounds like this is gonna be worse than that time Alfred walked in, and we had to replace the curtains."
Babs almost choked on an olive. "Dick! Don't remind me! I won't be able to look Alfred in the face for a week!"
"Oh, so that's how it is," Jay laughed. "I heard about the Batmobile, I never heard about the curtains."
"I don't want to hear about either," Kala groaned.
"What can I say? We were young and athletic," Dick said with a shrug.
"No. We're not doing this," Babs said, glaring at him. "We are not comparing sexual misadventures. I'm not going to risk Bruce getting involved."
"I had no intention of contributing to the conversation," Bruce interjected quickly.
Selina just purred. "Stay away from the Jacuzzi, that's all I'm saying."
Kala muttered to Jay, "See, I told you, it's always the parents. The parents are always freakier than you think." Babs filed that away for future reference; whatever story was behind it sounded amusing.
"Would all of you please shut up?" Tim said with a long-suffering expression. "We've only got ten minutes to midnight." As if to underscore his point, someone fired off an early round of fireworks, lighting up the sky with blue and gold sparkles.
"Who's got the countdown?" Dick asked.
Babs had it queued up on her tablet, and all of them fell quiet to listen to the announcer.
…
Kala wrapped herself around Jay despite the stupid Snuggie comment. It was cold up here, her warm breath frosting in the air, and the snow on the grounds made her think of their night in the cabin. Jay had really let his guard down then, and she felt her heart swell just remembering it. Strange, how someone she'd disliked so viscerally on first meeting could be so important to her now.
The radio announcer was just finishing up an interview, and now there were only moments left before the ball dropped and everyone on the East Coast rang in the new year. Kala sighed as the minutes ticked away. There would be a lot to worry about in the coming weeks, but honestly, she was more concerned with seeing Sebast again and figuring out that situation than she was with Two-Face or Black Mask or even Joker. Yes, Joker had seen her face, but the next time she saw him would likely be the last time he saw anything in this life. The rest … she'd seen Black Mask in action, and knew how cruel he could be. Two-Face was rightly feared, though she'd only encountered his men – and owed him one for trying to kidnap Julio and Carl and the rest.
She wondered for a moment how the kids were celebrating. They were still in very new circumstances, still had little adult supervision, but most of them had adapted well according to the reports she was getting. It wouldn't surprise her if Julio managed to score a bottle of champagne, and she smiled briefly.
"You're grinning," Jay commented, smiling back with that devilish gleam in his eye that she so adored. "Whatcha thinkin' about, K?"
Asking you to come to Metropolis for this, next year, she thought, and knew it would probably freak him out if she said it. A year would give them both time to settle into the depth of intimacy between them. Perhaps Jay could finally relax, and understand that she wasn't something fate could snatch away from him. No matter what, he was one of hers now. She'd be by his side as long as he wanted her there – and he had amply demonstrated how much he wanted her there.
All she said was, "The really good champagne, of course. Why else would I be here?"
"You're a jerk," Jay laughed, his ice-blue eyes bright in the darkness.
"And you were my trainer. I learned from the best," Kala shot back.
Everyone laughed at that exchange, and Jay mimed a punch at her side. Kala slapped his fist away, both of them chuckling.
"Hush, children," Dinah said, and Kala almost held her breath as the final countdown began.
Ten…
Jay tightened his arms around her waist.
Nine…
Kala ran her fingers into his hair, cold from the chill breeze.
Eight…
Dinah scooted up next to Babs, the pair of them sharing a fond look.
Seven…
Tim looked out toward the bay, and actually smiled.
Six…
Only Kala heard Selina whisper to Bruce, "Another year, and you still haven't caught me, hero."
Five…
Bruce murmured back, "You're here. That counts."
Four…
Dick hugged Tim, apparently overcome by the moment, and Tim just groaned.
Three…
"Glad you're here," Jay murmured, his voice husky.
Two…
"No place else I'd rather be," Kala replied, just as softly.
One!
Cheers erupted over the radio, but Kala didn't hear them. Jay caught her chin and kissed her, firm and fierce, and she rang in the new year with the taste of his lips and the scent of snow in the air.
The fireworks started that same second, a long rattling series of booms from Gotham Harbor that lit up the sky in multicolored sparks. Kala finally drew back from the kiss, smiling at Jay, and in the safety of her own heart she whispered, I love you, I love you, I love you. He grinned back at her, and she let herself hope he was thinking the same thing.
"Happy New Year!" Dick yelled, squeezing Tim until he complained. Kala turned her head to laugh at him, Jay scowling at the intrusion on their moment.
With the way Dinah was sitting, Dick could only throw his arms around her legs in an awkward hug. She ignored him for a long moment, Kala's eyebrows going up – that was one hell of a lip-lock she had going on with Babs, but the two of them were entitled. When Dinah finally came up for air, she laughed at Dick. "Get your ex off my leg, Babs."
"Shoo, you love sponge," Babs said affectionately, and Dick clambered up to properly hug them both. And then Kala and Jay, with Jay grumbling and muttering complaints the whole time.
Dick turned to Bruce and Selina, and she hissed at him, snuggling even closer to Bruce. So Dick shrugged, and picked up Miss Kitty instead as she walked by him. Kala burst out laughing at the affronted expression on the cat's face; Dick kissed the top of her head and set her down quickly. Miss Kitty bolted, ending up atop the gable on the other side of Kala and Jay, and began frantically grooming herself.
"Jesus, do you know how lucky you are to still have a face?" Selina marveled. "You must've caught her by surprise; she would've shredded you for that."
"Look, it's New Year's Eve, I'm gonna kiss somebody," Dick explained.
"Pass the champagne," Bruce said, effectively ending the discussion.
Once it was opened, and everyone's glasses were full, Bruce raised his to the rest of them. A particularly loud burst of fireworks drowned everything out, and he waited with a chagrined expression until it quieted enough for his toast to be heard. "To another year. May we all get through it safely."
"Another year," they all echoed, Jay smirking a little. The champagne was dry and delicately flavored, and Kala let herself savor it.
Of course the radio announcer had been wishing everyone a happy new year and thanking his sponsors. Now music cued up, and a ragged chorus from Times Square began to sing. Kala couldn't help herself, she had always sung along, and she heard Dinah join her within the first few notes. "Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?"
Much to Kala's pleasant surprise, Dick and Babs began to sing by the third line, tenor and contralto, and Selina joined them with a torchy mezzo-soprano. Kala flashed a grin at her, and then Tim and Bruce got into it on the last line, tenor and baritone. What shocked the hell out of her, though, was Jay joining the chorus in a surprisingly tuneful light baritone.
All of them together sang, "For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne. We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
The second verse, Kala found herself singing with just Dinah, Dick, and Selina, since the rest apparently didn't know the words. "And surely you'll buy your pint cup, and surely I'll buy mine. And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
The second chorus brought all their voices back, and Kala closed her eyes, hitting every note as sweetly as ever. In hopes that the new year would be a little better, that maybe things would work out. Her eyes burned a bit, thinking of Sebast – old acquaintance could not be forgot, and she owed him a chance to salvage their friendship for old time's sake. Meanwhile she wanted, almost desperately, a chance to have old times with Jay, for this to last long enough that she might cajole him into singing Christmas carols next year.
I'll take a cup of kindness with him, anytime, anywhere, Kala thought, and smiled as the song ended and Jay grinned bashfully at her. "So I'm not a pro," he said.
"You sound fine," Kala told him, and kissed him again.
"You sound better," he pointed out.
"Four years of school, six years of singing professionally with vocal coaches and instructors and the whole nine yards, I damn well better sound good," she countered, and kissed him. "Hush. It's not about sounding like a pro. It's about being together."
Selina, meanwhile, was looking skeptically at Bruce. "I didn't even know you could sing. What's in this champagne?"
"Hey, it even got Tim to sing," Dick teased. "I'm impressed. Order a case or two, we might all develop a functional social life." That broke everyone into welcome laughter again.
…
The cold drove them all inside at last, and Bruce brought in the ice bucket and empty champagne bottle, while Dick brought in the glasses, so Alfred didn't have to worry about any of it. Jay put his hand gently in the middle of Kala's back, and she glanced up at him as another late round of fireworks boomed overhead. "Let's get out of here before Dick decides we need to sing Auld Lang Syne again," he muttered.
"Come on, you don't hate it," Kala said with an indulgent smile.
"No, I don't," Jay admitted. "But it's New Year's. You know what they say – what you do on New Year's, you'll do all year long. And I know what I'd rather be doing besides singing cheesy songs."
Kala chuckled, leaning against him as they slipped off toward the stairs. "I think that's supposed to be New Year's Day. And we're proving them right, about sneaking off every chance we get."
"It is New Year's Day, technically. It's like twelve-thirty, that counts. And I don't care; they're just jealous." He leaned in and stole a kiss that tasted like champagne.
"I think Tim and Dick are the only ones who have a reason to be jealous. Looks like everyone else is getting lucky tonight, too," Kala murmured with a little chagrin.
"Not as lucky as I am. Come on, I've got plans," Jay whispered, and saw that delicate blush rise in her cheeks. Fucking hell, he knew how filthy she could be when she wanted to, and somehow she still managed to blush when he talked the slightest bit dirty.
"Not in the hallway," Kala scolded, and he feinted as if to grab her, which resulted in the two of them chasing their way down the stairs from the attic to his room. Kala had to catch hold of the doorjamb to stop herself, and Jay skidded a little, grabbing her hips for balance. She laughed out loud, and he pushed her up against the door with his body weight, nuzzling the nape of her neck.
That cut off the laughter as Kala took a deep, shuddering breath, and Jay nipped her shoulder. "Open the door, Princess, unless you wanna give them a free show," he growled.
"You're that impatient to get working on that list?" Kala whispered, but she turned the knob, and the pair of them damn near fell through the door in their haste.
Jay hadn't stopped thinking about Selina's news, and what it meant for both of them, how careful Kala would have to be, since the moment the thief had told them Kala was in danger. He'd learned over the years how to compartmentalize, and he'd shoved the incessant worry off somewhere in the back of his brain, where it just droned on underneath everything else. Dinner earlier, and the fireworks show, and he thought perhaps now he could silence it for a while with a very pointed reminder of how very lively Kala was.
So he caught her close, breathing deeply of that candied-violet scent that clung to her hair, and told her, "Damn right I am. First thing on the list, I'm going down on you 'til you scream my name."
Kala actually gasped, her eyes going wide, her whole body shuddering at the thought. Jay kicked the door shut behind him and twisted the lock, not wanting to be interrupted. He pulled Kala close again and kissed her, deep and greedy, and she ran her fingers through his hair, arching up against him. "You okay with that, Supergirl?" Jay murmured against her mouth.
In all their nights together, she'd never let him finish her like that; she always got impatient and pulled him up to her, wrapping her legs around his waist. But by the way she reacted – and the dent in the apartment wall from the very first time he'd tried it – it wasn't that she didn't like it. He just wanted to be sure.
Her eyes looked dazed with heat, and Kala's breathing had grown heavy. "Yeah," she finally told him. "Yeah, I'm fine with that, Big Bad."
Grinning, Jay reached down to catch hold of her thighs, lifting her up. She caught his shoulders for balance, wrapping her legs around him, and once he had her, he looked her right in the eyes and said, "Nice choice of nickname when I'm planning to eat you up, K."
He expected that to break the heated moment, for Kala to smack his shoulder and laugh, and he had a comment about Riding Red Hood ready for her if she did. But instead Kala just gave a low chuckle, too turned on to roll her eyes at him.
Well then. Apparently she did like it.
Now he had to make good on his promise, which was no hardship. Jay walked Kala over to the bed and laid her down on it, pinning her under his weight for a moment just to enjoy the feel of her arching up to him. He kissed her, lips and throat and neck and brow, savoring every inch of pale perfect skin. Kala was breathing faster, and tugging at his jacket; both of them were still dressed for the cold roof, and it was getting hot enough to shed those layers. Jay backed off her just long enough to throw his jacket aside and kick off his shoes; Kala was impatient, too, and pulled off her sweater along with her shirt. He went for her boots while she unhooked her bra, but the sight of her breasts distracted him, and Jay pinned her down again to kiss them reverently.
"God, Jay," Kala breathed, throwing the bra aside and twisting underneath him to place his mouth right where she wanted it. He took her nipple between his teeth, knowing he could be as rough as he wanted with her and never risk hurting her. Kala gave a long, low moan as he laved it with his tongue, suckling hard for a few seconds.
He paused then, looking up into her darkened eyes. "That whole thing with the floating naked over my bed, ready to laser anyone who threatened us?" Jay growled. "That was hot as fuck, just so you know."
"Kinda figured, the way you … ohhh, Jay … the way you acted after…" Kala murmured, her hands tangled in his hair again, pulling him closer.
"That was 'cause I was worried about them coming after you. This is 'cause that was hot as fuck." Jay had always loved danger, and he remembered the frisson that ran down his spine when he finally read the Nevada Protocol. The woman under him, whimpering eagerly as he kissed and nibbled his way across her chest, was damn near a weapon of mass destruction all by herself. The adrenaline rush of making her come apart for him was incredible; it'd be worth it for that alone. But she was so much more. Fuckin' perfect for him, she cared about him, she still didn't realize what she'd said to him on the verge of sleep but he knew it, and returned it, and for fuck's sake she made him want to spend time with her outside his city and outside their lives as vigilantes, because all of her was worth it to him…
And if he kept thinking like that, he'd end up kicking off his jeans and taking her, and he'd made a promise. Jay loved going down on women; he was good at it, and he hadn't met a woman yet who wasn't pleasantly surprised by his skill and very turned on by his enthusiasm. Apparently other guys out there were slacking.
It was even better with Kala, because he couldn't forget what she was while he did it. She tasted like sunlight, like something fresh and bright and clean and just a little sweet, and it made her damn near addictive. Only he'd never gotten to do this as much as he wanted, because she usually got impatient.
Well, there was no patrol tonight, most of the city was too drunk to get into their kind of trouble, so he had plenty of time. He kissed his way down Kala's belly, feeling her breathing speed up in anticipation, and unbuttoned her jeans. She gave an urgent little whimper then, her hips rolling, and he grinned up at her as he tugged the jeans down. "Lookin' forward to it, Princess?"
"Always, with you," she managed to say, and fuck, that heated tone in her voice always did it for him.
Of course, pulling the jeans off bared her panties, and Jay couldn't help chuckling. Black, with silver glitter fireworks. "Do you fuckin' have panties for every holiday?"
"You should see the St. Patrick's Day ones," Kala chuckled, her eyes still dark with desire.
"Yeah? What's on them? A four-leaf clover and 'Get Lucky'?" he teased, running his fingertips under the edge of the hem.
She gave him a lazy smile. "No, just … 'Kiss me, I'm Irish.' It works. The Lane side is part Irish."
Jay just chuckled, and tugged the panties down and off, Kala obligingly raising her hips for him. She bit her lip, looking down the length of her body at him, and for a long moment Jay just savored that wanting look in her eyes.
Then he got to work, tracing his fingers down the inside of her thigh, and fitting himself comfortably between her knees. He wrapped one arm under her leg and up over her hip, his palm spread across her belly, mostly to keep his balance when – not if, when – she bucked her hips. He could also feel the pace of her breathing, and know exactly how it was affecting her. She was absolutely bare beneath his regard, and even his breath on that sensitive skin made her shudder.
So he started slow, long lazy licks, his other hand curled around her thigh as she arched in appreciation. Jay took his time, building the pleasure slowly, exploring first to find everything she liked best about this. And God, the sounds she made when he did. When he had to stop for air, his panting breath made her groan, she was so sensitive. "Fuck, this is the most fun I can have with pants on," he murmured, and dove back in before she could make a coherent response.
The next time he had to pause, Kala told him in a husky voice, "You could … have fun … with the pants off. Jay, I want…"
"And you'll get," he replied, because regions south of the belt were definitely ready for action. This alone was a delight, just focusing entirely on her. Jay smiled, knowing she could feel it, and added, "Not yet. I want you like this first."
Kala whimpered, and he decided to be merciful and stop teasing her. Focusing his attention on the center of her pleasure, he licked and sucked at her until Kala's thighs clenched around his head, and she moaned his name aloud. Damn, I hope she doesn't squeeze too hard and break my jaw, he thought, before deciding he didn't care. That'd be a hilarious injury to explain later – and her control had always been pretty good.
Her whole body arched up off the bed, and with one more lick he felt that galvanic shudder run through her. Kala cried out his name as she climaxed, burying her fingers in his hair, and for a moment she was grinding hard against his tongue to wring every last drop of pleasure out of the orgasm. Jay fucking loved every second of it, and when she fell back panting, he turned to kiss the inside of her thigh. "You have any idea how goddamn hot that is?" he asked her, his voice rough.
"Uh-huh," was all she could say, and he chuckled with a smug sense of satisfaction.
He really wanted to shove his jeans off and climb her right about now … but it was too damn delightful, getting her off like that. "Let me know when you're ready to go again," Jay murmured, and saw those eyes of hers go wide again with surprise.
Kala whispered his name, her voice hushed, her eyes dark as only he got to see them. He just kissed her thigh again, looking up at her expectantly, and she bit her lip, nodding. Jay smiled, and said, "The best part of being the bad brother is, I get to have seconds of dessert. Who knows, maybe thirds too."
"You're not the … oh, God!" Kala started to protest him talking down about himself, as she usually did, and Jay cut her off with another lick.
He lost himself for a while, delving into her desire, savoring every moan and cut-off cry. Somewhere after her second orgasm, Kala started to sound muffled, and Jay glanced up the length of her body. It was a great view, her flared hips, her flat belly, her gorgeous breasts, and then her face … her hair mussed, her eyes lidded, her cheeks flushed. At some point she'd covered her own mouth with her hand, trying not to be too loud, and watching her try and fail to restrain herself was so fucking gratifying.
Jay decided to add a couple of fingers, crooking up to find her g-spot, and Kala rewarded him by bucking hard into it, the volume of her wail somewhat trapped behind her hand. Climax number three came soon afterward, and when Jay would've kept going, Kala finally pulled away from him, panting for breath. She swung one leg over his head and curled up on her side, shaking, but her voice was equal parts exhausted and amused as she told him, "No more … God, Jay, no more for now. My legs are like overcooked spaghetti. God."
Laughing in sheer delight, he swarmed up behind her, wrapping himself around her. She was still shaking a little, and Jay wanted her to feel held and safe in the aftermath. "Your legs are pretty fuckin' fantastic, actually. Although, whatever happened to super-stamina?"
"Oh fuck you and your smug tone. Ass," Kala laughed back, not sounding angry at all.
"Is that a pet name or a suggestion?" Jay teased.
"This again? You're developing another fetish, sir. Pet name, obviously. Trigger-happy asshole." She sounded genuinely tired, but warmly so, suffused with pleasure.
"I suppose the clit could be considered a trigger," Jay mused aloud, and Kala started laughing.
"Jay, that's terrible. That's the worst joke you've ever made, and I've heard your Robin puns," she finally murmured, looking over her shoulder at him with a satisfied, sleepy smile.
"Sorry, top-tier humor isn't exactly easy when most of the blood in my body is currently being rerouted south of my navel," Jay joked. He wasn't being pushy – if she was really that tired, he could always go handle his situation solo; it was worth it to make her writhe and moan his name with just his mouth.
Kala bit her lip again, her gaze going lidded. "Mmm, poor thing. Considering all that effort you just put in, maybe we should do something about that, hmm?"
"You volunteering?" Jay asked, rocking his hips against her.
Her eyes rolled back, her breath catching. "Yeah … just like this, all snuggled up together. Slow, if you can."
"Slow is asking a lot, considering I just went down on you for like an hour," Jay told her, but chuckled indulgently as he shucked off his jeans. He'd try for her sake. There were condoms in the nightstand – and he needed to replenish his stock soon, they'd made some serious inroads on it during this past week. He rolled one on, and snuggled back up to Kala, running his hand up and down her side.
She reached back to stroke a hand over his hair as she shifted against him, arching her back. Her voice was soft, warm, and huskier than usual when she murmured, "I know. I also know that's all my fault. I'll fix that, I promise. But just for a little bit … please?"
"When you ask so nicely, Princess," Jay purred. He took his time, even now, caressing her breasts and hips and thighs, until Kala rocked her hips back and wrapped one leg over his. Then it was just a matter of finding the right angle, and sinking slowly into her. That little gasp, her head tilting back, followed by that throaty moan of hers got him every time.
It had to be slow, no matter how much he'd teased earlier. Anything faster than this, and it'd be over too soon, his mind still full of images of Kala coming apart under his tongue. Jay set up a gentle, rocking rhythm, one arm around her so he could cup her breast, the other under her head. It felt like he was cradling her whole body, like this.
Kala always felt delicate in his arms, like someone who needed to be wrapped up in strength and protected – but Jay knew she was a helluva lot stronger than him. The contrast between her outward looks, and her inner strength, only made him want her more. He kissed her shoulder, keeping everything slow as she requested, and that only heightened the sensation for him. He could feel her hips rolling to meet him, hear every little catch in her breath, taste the salt on her skin when he kissed her.
She grabbed his arm, pulling it tighter around her with her head tipped back against his chin, and let out another little moan. "Jay … God, Jay, you feel so good… so good."
He picked up the pace then, breathing her name like a prayer. The rest of the world went away, so only Jay and Kala existed, and every roll of his hips, every arch of her spine, felt like the closest he'd ever get to heaven. Kala whimpered, "More … gimme more…" and the naked greed in her voice drove him wild.
Jay lost himself in the relentless rhythm, the pair of them close as two spoons in a drawer. They hadn't done it like this before, always face to face, and while he missed seeing the look in her eyes, Kala's thready voice let him know exactly how good it was for her. It felt deeper from this angle, somehow. All Jay wanted right now was to live in this moment, where the most important thing in all existence was the pleasure they built between them, the connection deeper than any words. He would do anything, anything, for her.
The pitch of her moans changed, and Kala's hips sped up, rocking back against him frantically. Jay caught hold of her hip and thrust harder, knowing she could take it, not caring if he was sore tomorrow. All he wanted to do was spill them both over the edge again. Not even a week of daily sex – more like twice daily – had even come close to dulling his desire for her. Jay wanted all he could get, and he intended to take it. "C'mon, K," he panted. "Come for me."
"Make me," she whimpered, tightening her grip on his arm. Jay damn near lost it right then, the blatant hunger in her voice overwhelming. There had never been a woman this perfect for him…
Conscious thought was gone, lost in the primal rhythm between them, and Kala cried out as she bore down on him. That was enough for Jay; he was lost, his vision briefly whiting out with the strength of his climax.
In the aftermath, he came back to himself, his arms around Kala as he struggled to slow his racing heart. "God, Jay," she whispered breathlessly.
"Yeah, that," he managed to say, and chuckled. "Fuck, Kala."
"You did," she replied, and somehow laughter burbled up from his chest.
God, Kala was the only one he'd ever laughed with in bed, and it said something about her that he could trust her to let down his guard and have a sense of humor at the same time. Jay nuzzled the back of her neck. "Yeah, I did. Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year," she purred, snuggling back against him.
At some point he was going to need a shower – he'd worked up quite a sweat – and he needed to take the condom off and toss it before they fell asleep, but for the moment, Jay just savored this. He'd rarely been so purely happy in his entire life.
"Jay?" Kala asked softly.
Don't say it, he thought. It was on both their minds, but he didn't want her to say the words out loud yet. Just let him have this perfect wordless moment. Still, he replied, "Yeah?"
A pause, and she told him, "You're on my hair."
Both of them laughed again, in Jay's case with relief as well as amusement.