HugsforEden: We stan badasses! I'm glad I get to flesh out Tammy a bit already! She's so ready for Rufus in the next fic :p
Chapter 256
The sun began to set on the city, and with that, Reno finally called it a tie. I felt strangely energized after having had so much exercise. My mood had elevated to new heights.
"Time to go home, Billy," Reno said to the kid as he handed him back the ball. "We'll do a rematch soon, all right?"
"I want Eden on my team next time!" one of the boys who had been on Reno's team chipped.
One corner of Reno's mouth curled up into a lopsided smile as he glanced at me. "Yeah, we all want Eden on our team. That's coz she's the best. Now scoot."
Billy high fived us both before he hugged his ball to his chest and hurried back to the orphanage. He made sure to wave at us one last time before the boys vanished around the corner together. They would be safe tonight. Edge was a little safer because of what we did. Perhaps the whole world was a little safer.
"I'm the best, huh?" I asked slyly, while picking my heels off the ground and readjusting them to my feet.
His words almost made me blush, feeling even more like a little girl than I had minutes ago. If this was him being honest with me… I could live with that.
"What can I say, you kick ass at soccer." An impish grin spread across his face, but I didn't mind. "So…about that bath –"
"I'd like a beer," I cut him off, though a bath was more than welcome. Preferably with him included in the tub.
I realized all too well that I had basically just invited myself back to his place, but my suggestion was clearly nowhere near as brazen as what he had been about to suggest.
I followed him inside, closing the door behind me with a sigh. He must have been really tired at this point, not having properly slept. I knew I was feeling it. The fact that he cared so much always got to me, making my heart swell with love for him. Before, he had always been professional, acting like he didn't have a care in the world and was just doing his job, but I had come to realize that maybe that had all just been a facade. He cared that he had hurt so many innocent people by dropping the plate on sector seven, and he cared about what Shinra had done to the world. In fact, he worked very hard to atone for that and to make it right.
In the gloom of his apartment, the reality of what he had been through began to sink in again. We'd been playing soccer with a bunch of kids, we'd been having fun, but hours before that, our lives had been thrown upside down. People got traumatized by lesser things. And though this was our kind of life, this time the fight had come to us. To our personal lives. And that fact made all the difference in the world.
"You okay?" I asked while he walked into the kitchen to get me that promised drink.
Other than a few cuts from the flying shards of glass and some bruising along his jaw, he seemed fine, but that was only the outside.
He ran a hand through his hair and looked down at his once crisp white shirt – though at least this one wasn't streaked with blood, but with grass and dirt. "What a nightmare," he said. "It's a miracle we all made it out alive."
"They obviously had no idea who they were messing with," I joked while he grabbed two beers from his fridge and handed me one, grinning widely. I accepted and popped the cap. "I mean, apart from a small army of Turks, two ex SOLDIER, half of AVALANCHE and not to mention some other very dangerous individuals –including a ninja– they decided to wreck Tifa's bar, of all places. Those guys were dead on arrival. I was more worried about the soccer match."
Reno leaned back against the counter, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yeah, we're somethin', ain't we?" Then he fell silent for a moment, apparently in thought. "Too bad we started out as enemies... Feels like an opportunity wasted."
"You always told me I was a stubborn bitch, but you know what?" I faced him, once again thinking about the way he used to be. "You always acted like you didn't care about the world and all that mattered was your job. If you hadn't been so damn stubborn about all that, then maybe none of us would've been enemies."
"I woulda never left Shinra, Foxy, you know that." He blinked at me, and I knew he meant it.
Shinra had been his home ever since he was a young boy. At first, Charly had been the one to take him under his wing, teach him the tricks of the trade and what it meant to be a Turk. For years, they had worked together, until Charly retired and Reno had been paired with Rude. He'd also taken a step up the chain of command, being second to Tseng.
"I know," I replied with a shrug, watching him as he slid open the large glass door leading to his rooftop terrace.
The breeze was still gentle, playing with my hair as I stepped outside. The night was black by now, the stars above illuminating our tiny planet, and us. The moon shifted in and out of view, now and then hiding behind distant clouds. I leaned back against the large steel table standing to the left, sipping my bottle.
"Is this where you have your morning coffee and paper?" I asked, making him chortle in response.
"I have my morning coffee at the office and I don't need papers to know what's goin' on in the world. Shinra is still involved in everything, remember?" He took a swig from his own bottle as he casually leaned an elbow on his balustrade.
I watched him closely as the wind made his hair dance, the light from the moon giving his eyes that familiar sparkle. I wondered what he was thinking. My own mind traveled back to all the things we had been through together, all the things we had said to each other. The good things and the bad. But, we'd made it. Despite everything, he hadn't given up on me. He'd finally opened up to me again.
His grin faded a little when he saw my eyes on him, and he looked away from me for a second, into the city below. "Guess ya should be heading out, huh?" One might have interpreted it as a dismissal, but to me it came across as disappointment, especially since he took a few steps towards me as he said it. "You haven't properly slept in two days."
"Neither have you," I pointed out as I set down my bottle beside me, not taking my eyes off him. "Told you parties at Tifa's are never boring."
His free hand moved to his pocket as he chuckled. "...Yeah..."
He looked at the ground while taking another step towards me, looking like a shy child. I liked that side of him. I liked every side of him. He was now close enough for me to touch if I were to reach out to him.
"We both need some sleep, though," he then added, looking back up at me.
Still, he didn't go inside, or move away from me, instead, he took another step in my direction. There was something in his eyes that called to me, a swirling mass of emotions I tried hard to untangle. There was insecurity, along with uncertainty and doubt, but there was also a hint of longing, determination and hunger. It sparked a fire in the pit of my stomach. He was here with me now. We were alone, and we had had our hands all over each other before we were attacked at Tifa's. I wondered if things would have gone much further then, since we had been standing outside in the middle of the street, but I had no doubt he would have found a way. He was shameless like that. He would probably have dragged me into some dark alley or simply not have cared we were in plain view. I leaned forward and reached out, wrapping the tip of his messily knotted tie around my fingers.
"I can't go home, Reno," I said teasingly. "We have unfinished business." I started to wrap the black fabric around my fist further, reeling him in towards me.
His eyes set ablaze at my words, his gaze going ravenous, pushing all the previous emotions aside. He slammed his bottle down beside me on the table as I pulled his body into mine. An involuntary sound made its way out of his throat, but he swallowed it down quickly. The way his fingers gripped the flare of my waist made my blood pump faster. The way he was looking down at me with that burning desire in his eyes and those lips parted made me want to moan in pleasure, before he had even done anything to me.
"I've tried pushing you away," he confessed huskily, his breath teasing my heating cheeks as he spoke. "Again and again, but... I can't bring up the effort anymore…It ain't workin'."
Every girl in the world deserved to hear those words spoken to her by the man she wanted.
A slender, strong hand rode up my spine, causing my body to arch into his on its own accord. Lean fingers slipped into my hair and tilted my head back, causing me to bite my lip in anticipation when I caught his fiery gaze.
"So I'm gonna stop tryin'." His voice was almost a growl as his lips hovered barely an inch from mine. I could almost feel the heat of his mouth already.
I submitted to his every touch so easily, but I didn't care anymore. I wanted his every touch.
"Gods, that's so hot..." I whispered and I felt him shudder at my response.
My fist was still enveloped by his tie, and I yanked on it none too gently, pulling him down that last inch to bring his lips to mine. If there were ever a kiss worth dying for, that was it. It seemed that after only the handful of times we'd kissed, my body had adjusted to his, like muscle memory. We moved as one, fit together as one.
I finally let go of his tie and slid my arms around his neck, wanting him closer, needing him closer. He resolutely tore the tie off in one smooth move and tossed it over his shoulder, uncaring that the wind caught it and blew it into the night. Then his hands were all over, and he knew exactly where to touch and how much pressure to apply. My lips parted to him as he demanded entrance and I whimpered into his mouth helplessly when our tongues met. He deepened the kiss hungrily, devouring me with everything he had. Which was a lot.
Warm hands ran down my back slowly, until his palms cupped my backside through the thin fabric of my borrowed dress. With a groan and a squeeze, he lifted me up and set me on the table, knocking the two forgotten beer bottles over without caring. And neither did I. A trail of fresh tingles ran along my flesh when he slid his hands over my bare thighs towards my knees and back again. Wrapping his fingers around the soft skin of my knees, he roughly spread my legs further apart and dragged me closer to urge my core into him. A loud gasp tore through me as his brazen move created the most delicious friction, his brashness heating me up like crazy. He smirked against my lips like the scoundrel he was.
The way he ravaged me made me feel bold myself, it made me forget about inhibitions and being a good girl. He made me want to be bad, with the way he was still pulling me into him, pressing himself in between my thighs. I had never been a good girl, and being with this bad boy made me act out, unthinking, going on instinct.
My fingertips found his shirt and ripped it open the way I had imagined doing so many times before, no longer caring about the way it looked on him. Buttons were sent flying in every direction, some bouncing against the large glass windows. Others were lost in the night, but we had no more need for them now. We only had need for each other, a need that burned within me like a physical ache.
His mouth left mine momentarily, replacing my lips with the sensitive skin of my jaw and neck. I moaned when his teeth scraped down my throat and he gently bit my collarbone. The white shirt slipped off smoothly as I ran my hands ran across his defined shoulders and down his tones arms, causing it to flutter down onto the concrete behind him. His hand caught the back of my head again and his lips found mine once more, fingers digging into my scalp.
I dragged my nails down his now bare back, earning me a heated growl and a sharp intake of breath. The heat coming off his body, combined with those goddamn enticing sounds he was making, drove me wild with longing for him. The dark scent of his lust made me want all of him. My palms trailed down his smooth chest and caressed his hip arches, towards his flat stomach, and the tender skin disappearing into his waistband. His body was phenomenal to me, I simply couldn't stop touching him.
He tried to pull me even closer, once again rubbing a sensitive spot when he pressed himself into me harder, teasing me with his body. I hissed and threw my head back, momentarily forgetting all about what I was doing. We almost tumbled backwards onto the table together. He was too much; he would have me explode in his expert hands before we even got our clothes off, just like last time.
This time, it was his turn too. When his teeth nibbled on my ear, accompanied by that devilish chuckle of his, I almost lost sight of my mission to pleasure him back. My fingers curled around his buckle, but unlike last time, he was too slow to keep me from snapping both it and the button open in one fumble.
For a split second, he halted his assault, but he too had probably lost the ability to think long ago. I was relentless in sliding down his zipper, not giving him opportunity to do anything about it, keeping his lips busy all the while. I ran a finger along the inside of the elastic band that had emerged from behind his fly, and a genuine moan escaped him. He grabbed my face between his palms aggressively, kissing me with a passion that sent me flying. It made me feel brave.
I shoved him away by the shoulders and hopped off the steel table. Surprise lit up his features, and he must have feared I would reject him again. But before he could wonder out loud or utter a protest, I spun us around, pushed him into the steel table and dropped to my knees before him.
"Wait, you don't have to –" He cut himself off with a groan so huskily sweet that instant satisfaction washed over me, knowing I had been the cause of it.
His head fell back as he cursed under his breath, hands gripping the table edge tightly. It had been a long time since I had done this, and I never took as much pleasure in it as I did now. He deserved every piece of heaven I could find and present it to him on a diamond platter.
More hoarse sounds were finding their way into the night, drifting away on the gentle breeze. I saw his stomach quiver and tremble uncontrollably. His breathing was picking up even more than it already had during our passionate encounter, his beautiful, smooth chest rising and falling rapidly. Knuckles were turning white from his strong grip on the table as he groaned in pleasure.
I looked up at him, seeing his brow furrow in concentration with his eyes closed, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip, and I thought he'd never looked more beautiful. He was slowly becoming more breathless, the air leaving his chest in rough bursts. A thin coat of sweat formed on his skin, creating tiny droplets of physical bliss around his navel. I tried to give him my all, changed my methods to make him wanton. A look of sweet, torturous ecstasy passed over his handsome features then, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Foxy, stop, I can't–" His breathing picked up even more, but I didn't stop. "I can't–"
His body shuddered, his breath hitched and stopped all together for a second, before another sweet moan erupted from deep inside his chest, followed by more cursing and panting. The patch of flat stomach before my eyes was moving in and out with every fast, shaking breath. His head fell back again, another groan accompanying his surrender to me. I'd never particularly enjoyed the ending of this act before, but I did now. The way he gave himself to me with all abandon made me want to do it again and again.
Reno was still trying to catch his breath, but he looked at me through hooded eyes, satisfaction lighting them up like little candles.
"Babe..." he panted and guided me to my feet with a gentle grip on my jaw before kissing me tenderly. He groaned again and dropped his head on my shoulder, holding on to me as he waited for the tremors still going through his body to pass. "What'd you do that for..?" he asked me, voice husk with lingering passion.
I smiled and pressed my lips to his ear. "I owed you one."
I felt him snicker against the side of my neck and he pulled me into him again, his warm hand caressing my neck. "You do realize you've ruined things for yourself?" he whispered cheekily.
I didn't care about that. The way he had enjoyed it gave me enough buzz to last until he was ready to go again. I wasn't in a hurry anymore.
My eyes fell on the large scar on his forearm, another one I had put on his body. I was responsible for so many of them. I took his wrist in my hand and lifted it to my lips, gently pressing a kiss to the long, white line. When my gaze raked over his bare chest, I saw the bullet wound scar I had put on his shoulder. He'd told me before not to worry about it, but it pained me every time I lay eyes on it. It meant a lot to me that he wore the bullet around his neck as some sort of tribute. He gently kissed my neck, first sweet and soft, then more determined and assertive. Before long, his tongue was tracing its way over the sensitive skin again, forcing a moan from my throat. Hands snaked around my waist.
Then he pulled back and looked me in the eyes, his breathing still slightly labored. Standing in his arms like this, I felt safe and protected, I felt loved. Especially with that look in his eyes. A look that told me everything I needed to know. Which was that he cared. That was all I ever wanted to find. Someone who cared for me. And I was lucky that he was that someone.
A hand cupped my face, his bright eyes locked with mine.
"I just wanna kiss you, babe… For all the times I should've and didn't," he breathed, before leaning down and doing just that. I was so shocked by his sudden confession I actually froze. "Let me kiss you, Eden," he softly pleaded.
Was he worried I'd turn him down? Was he crazy? Renewed passion flushed through my veins at his words, I couldn't help myself. Even when he pleaded he was enticing. It was like he'd cast aside all his pride.
"Take what you want," I whispered to him. "Whenever you want."
To my delighted surprise, a new spark lit up in his eyes and his mouth found mine again. He moved slow now, having spent much of his energy and awakened lust before, while my body was already screaming for more, not having had release. I forced it down and relished every moment he gave me, every touch, every caress, every bite. All I could do was groan at his expertise.
The night was starting to get chilly. Goosebumps appeared on the bare flesh of his arms, but I rubbed them away. We stood there, in the cooling night, lost in each other's embrace. His hips were once again pressed into mine, fingers digging into my back. His slow movements were becoming more aggressive, his gently caressing hands were groping. My breath started to pick up as the sweet, slow, sensual kisses he had been giving me slowly turned into something more. The arousal that started to burn deep inside my stomach had me utter small gasps and whimpers. He moaned into my mouth, and his domineering side resurfaced, claiming me the way he had before.
He reached down, hooking his hands around the back of my thighs and lifted me off the ground. In a reflex, my legs wrapped around his waist, our tongues never abandoning each other.
He walked me inside, slamming the slide door shut behind him without even looking, and carried me over to the bedroom. He dropped me onto his large, soft bed, and he crashed down with me, never once letting go. All kinds of wild thoughts passed through my head now that I was in his bed. My stomach did a few flips. We'd been in this position before, and I loved it every time. The feeling of his firm body on top of mine made me go crazy with need.
When he leaned over me and kissed me, the cold metal of the bullet around his neck dragged along my sensitive skin like an ice cube. His lips ran down my neck, to my collarbone and then even lower, tongue gliding over the swell of my chest. I wanted him to touch me there, I wanted him to touch me everywhere. I closed my eyes and let him do what he wanted, drowning in the feeling his fingertips gave me when they trailed over my side and then my thigh. He bundled up my dress in his hand, exposing more of me. Whatever he was planning on doing to me, I would let him, even if it meant the end of me. His hands left me, teeth scraped over my chest, catching on the fabric. I flushed at the heat in his eyes when he looked up at me. A sensual kiss dipped the skin slightly, and he seemed to revel in it, his eyes never leaving mine to see my every reaction to his touch. Then he softly blew on the moist skin, knowing damn well what he was doing. I whimpered and squirmed beneath him. He continued doing this, until I was ready to beg him for anything. I needed the hands that had abandoned me, the warm palms that made me feel so wanted.
"...Touch me.." I pleaded, arching my body into him to try and get him to run his hands over me, but he was ruthless, landing kisses and teasing me with his tongue, from my chest up to my ear and every inch in between.
"Don't rush, babe..." he whispered softly. "We have all the time in the world." His hand slid along my calf, and up my thigh, a moan escaping me when he finally touched me again.
"Yes…" I breathed, my mind having trouble grasping whatever he was saying. "Wait, what if we're interrupted again?" I asked meekly, a tiny voice in the back of my head saying that we could be summoned at any minute.
He gently wrapped my leg around his waist, and my body responded with more heat when I felt he was ready to go again. An actual choke caught in the back of my throat as I felt my face flush. A proud –though slightly conceited– smirk appeared on his face before he leisurely caught my lips with his.
He looked deep into my eyes and said huskily, "This time, I don't care if the whole world is comin' to an end out there. It's just me and you."
His hands caught on the straps of my dress, sliding them down my shoulders. He got up on his knees and rolled me onto my stomach in one swift move. A small yelp escaped me in surprise. He caught the zipper on my borrowed dress and slid it down all the way, exposing the bare skin of my back. The dress fell off my shoulders, my skin tingling from the sensation.
Slowly, he slid it down my body, and I raised my behind off the bed when he reached the curve of my hips. After sliding it down my legs, he tossed it on the floor behind him carelessly. I yelped again when he slapped a palm on my ass and squeezed appreciatively. Then his hand rode up my back, and unclasped my bra expertly, almost making me scowl at how easily he managed to do that.
Soon though, those negative thoughts were pushed from my mind, and all that occupied me was the feeling of his soft lips on my sensitive back. My body started at each touch, rendering it impossible to keep my breathing steady. It felt like his hands were everywhere at once, kisses landing left and right, then on my spine and then on my shoulders. The pendant on his neck kept trailing down my back with every move he made, adding to the maddening sensation.
Before long, my hands were clawing the sheets in sweet rapture. A feathery light touch trailed down, fingertips brushing only slightly, and I couldn't help but squirm under his touch. He lay himself down and brushed my hair to the side. More sensual touches erupted shivers along the skin of my neck, but what really made me gasp was the sensation he caused when he slipped a hand between my legs, softly caressing me through the thin lacy fabric. It was almost too much for me to handle.
Involuntarily, my hips pushed off the mattress to give him better access. He simply grinned in my ear, and even that was sensual. I reached back, burying my hand in his hair, pulling him closer to me.
He tenderly bit my shoulder in response, which was surprising, though definitely not unwelcome. My body felt cold when he removed himself from me, but he simply flipped me over onto my back and stared down at me with a hunger in his eyes that almost made me purr with satisfaction. Never in my life had anyone looked at me like that, unabashedly, satisfied and possessive. I didn't feel the need to cover myself, but reveled in his approval.
Then he groaned, almost sounding frustrated. "How are you so goddamn perfect?" His voice was dripping with desire, ragged and sweet at the same time.
To hear him say that was enough to almost send me tumbling over the edge. It seemed that whatever he did, it was always better than the last thing and my entire body was on fire for him. Now and always.
Talk about perfect. Had he seen himself? His cheeks were pink with exhilaration, eyes dark with passion. Smooth skin and a body made for caressing. His lean form towered over me as he sat on his knees between my thighs. Muscles rippled with every quick breath, and when my eyes traveled down to his still unbuttoned fly, it left little to the imagination. There was a dull throbbing between my legs that was becoming both agonizing and pleasurable, shaking me to the core. I couldn't last another second without touching him.
I jolted upright and pulled him to me by the back of the neck, needing to feel his lips on mine, needing to taste him. He complied willingly, toppling over with me in a heap of limbs. I touched him wherever I could, drawing sounds of satisfaction from his throat that had me going wild with craving. He pushed further into me, pressing me into the soft bed hard. My legs wrapped around him again, the heel of my shoe snagging on the waist of his pants.
He chuckled and ran a hand down my calf, before ripping the shoe off my foot and tossing it over his shoulder carelessly. "You'll kill someone with those things," he teased as he did the same to the other. "Oh, wait, you did. So freakin' hot."
He continued his assault on my mouth as I smirked at his words.
"You ain't got no clue how sexy you are, do ya?" he then whispered to me huskily as his nose grazed along the side of my face.
I closed my eyes when he put his lips to my neck, fingertips digging into my thigh. Every sensation he gave me was driving me insane with want. Never before had I ever felt like this with anyone. It was like he came from another planet, the way I melted in his hands and let him do whatever he wanted to me. I submitted to his every need without a second thought. Without a single thought, even. With everything else in my life, I felt the need to take control, but with him, I gave in and let him have his way. Whatever he wanted, I would give him, no matter when or where. I was his and I wanted him. Wanted him for who he was, everything that I loved and hated about him, and I wanted him for what he managed to do to me. I wanted his heart, I wanted his soul, and I wanted his body. His sweet divine body.
He, however, was relentless, taking his time as if we hadn't worked towards this moment for over three years. Maybe that was why he was doing this, maybe he'd imagined us together like this for so long and now that he got the chance, he was going to play out that fantasy. The thought alone excited me even more.
To my greatest pleasure, he slowly started working his way down to my chest, tongue dancing along the skin. A jolt of pleasure shot through me when he gently bit a tender bud, starting me with a gasp. A genuine moan escaped me when he let his tongue swirl around it, and when he softly blew on the wetness, I might have ceased to exist for a moment. He brought his lips to the other tip, but looked up at me devilishly as he hovered over me, wanting to see my reaction to his teasing. My breath caught in my throat, hating him and loving him at the same time. He kissed the skin right underneath, eyes never leaving mine. By now, I was all but panting in anticipation, my body screaming for his touch. Another kiss, this time a little to the side. Did he want me to beg? I would. I would. No, I wouldn't.
"Screw you," I breathed defiantly.
He grinned. "Love to, babe, just not yet."
I groaned and let my head fall back onto the mattress, accepting that he was in charge here and that I was a total mess. How did he have so much self control? True, he'd already been granted his release, but this was inhuman.
Suddenly, his teeth were on me again, and my body quivered against him. More tongue was thrown into the mix, slowly making a way down to my belly. My breathing picked up even more the closer he got to the ache between my legs, and I started to squirm involuntarily. I tangled up the sheets in my fists, almost ripping them from the bed. Soft kisses were alternated with warm, twirling tongue, fingertips and then more kisses. Not specifically in that order. A kiss beside my bellybutton, a caress along my side, tongue running along the top of my lace panties, driving me crazy with need.
He tugged them down slowly, taking his sweet goddamn time. I raised my hips off the bed, and then the garment was traveling down the length of my legs and across the room into the chair in the corner.
Now I was truly naked, my legs still locked together our of habit. He dove right in again, continued his sensual assault on my body. Teeth scraped along my hip bone, and fingers gently pried my legs apart. I whimpered in response, feeling slightly embarrassed but aroused at the same time. He paid no heed, he simply continued his expertise as if I were the very essence of life. Lips trailed along the inside of my thigh, ending in a kiss on the other thigh. I was positively breathless by now, my belly heaved up and down in anticipation. Was he really going to-?
I actually cried out when his mouth was suddenly on me. His hands gripped my hips, pulling me into him roughly. He left me completely incapacitated. He lifted my lower body off the bed, making me feel like I was floating for real. I moaned at the feeling of his tongue, threw my head back at the sweet agony he was giving me. White stars started to form behind my eyelids as I squeezed them tightly shut, heat was coursing through my abdomen, wave after wave of it gathering at the very core that was being hammered with intense pleasure. My hips started to move beyond my control, trying to get more, wanting more. He loosened his grip a little, giving me room to feed my need, but only just a little. More heat gathered as he consumed me, and more tongue shattered me in his hands, ruined me for years to come. My back arched, almost leaving the bed completely, a hoarse cry pushed passed my lips while my throat and all my body constricted, and there was nothing but white stars on the ceiling.
Pleasure washed over me like a tsunami of bliss, slamming into me and leaving me utterly helpless. I fell back on the bed, my body shuddering when Reno refused to stop his devouring. I groaned and panted, dumbstruck by what had just happened. To my own surprise, I wasn't sated yet. My body wanted him more than before, that throbbing ache between my thighs reminded me of that. I was even more ready for him now, ready and wanting.
Reno kissed the inside of my thigh sweetly, before crawling over me and looking down at me. He didn't say anything, and if he had, I might have killed him. Still, that wickedly satisfied look that was gleaming in his eyes said it all. My whole body shivered when he seductively wiped the wetness off his chin with his thumb and licked it off.
I rose up to meet him and kissed him, uncaring of where his tongue had been a few seconds ago. He drank me in with abandon, as if he hadn't had the chance to kiss me for weeks. His hunger for me became apparent, despite the fact he had been holding himself back all this time. His breathing had picked up, and he was unwittingly grabbing onto me for closer contact, one hand gripping my hip to rub me into his own aching need. He was losing control fast now, a self restraint that had lasted longer than I imagined anyone capable of in the first place.
His sudden hunger for me erupted within me another wave of heat, warming my blood up to boiling point. I was surprised there was no steam emitting from my ears. I latched onto every inch of him I could reach, dragged my nails along his arms, tugged his hair more than lovingly. He groaned into my mouth, enjoying every second of it as much as I was.
"Enough teasing," I begged him breathlessly and tried to shove his pants down, succeeding only half in doing so. "Reno," I pleaded while I kept tugging on the remainder of his clothes.
He groaned again at the sound of his name on my lips and then finally, leisurely, entered me. Sweet bliss erupted behind my eyes, and I almost hurled over the edge at his introduction, and the sound of if satisfied groan. It had been so long that my body was ready to explode, but with him it felt so good that I was in danger of shattering in his arms.
He looked down at me at the loud moan that had torn its way out of my throat, a mix of amusement and wild desire clouding over his usual bright gaze.
"Babe...?" he breathed in question, though I could tell the bastard was enjoying himself a little too much.
I clung to him like there was no tomorrow, silently begging him to continue and stop at the same time, afraid of what would happen. Then, his next excruciatingly divine slow thrust came, an adept roll of his hips, and I broke. My whole body tensed, a shiver running up and down my spine. The cry that erupted from me wasn't anything I had heard myself produce before, but I had never fallen so hard, had never wanted release so bad. And I had never been in such skillful hands. I felt Reno's eyes on me as I arched underneath him, wave after wave of sweet release tearing through me. I quivered against his soft, hot skin, seeking his lips.
He gave me a sweet kiss and chuckled cutely, looking at me with victory in his eyes. "What was that...?" he teased my ear with his low whisper, his voice dripping with dark pride.
"I'm sorry..." I whimpered, clamping my eyes shut while relishing the last pulsing moments of intense pleasure. "It just feels so good."
"Yeah, it does." he whispered heatedly, once again wracking me with a gentle thrust.
I wasn't sure how much of this my body could take, especially after having been deprived of this for so long, but I would take what he had to give, and I would relish it. He moved again, and again and then again, unhurried and deliberate, drawing more helpless gasps from me.
His own pleasured soft moans caressed my ears like sweet music. He sought my hand to entwine his fingers with mine, and I loved how he always did that. It felt like a special kind of bond. He looked down at me while he kept moving slowly, his breath meeting mine on the half inch of space that was between us. He cradled our joined hands above my head, and caressed my face with the other, while looking at me so lovingly I thought I'd melt on the spot. His thumb ran along my bottom lip and I took it between my teeth, biting down teasingly. He drove into me more roughly, earning him a small cry from my parted lips. He smirked in satisfaction at my reaction. I huffed at him, thinking it unfair he got to decide everything, but when his palm gripped my ass and he picked up the pace, I forgot what I had wanted to complain about in the first place.
He didn't hurry it, didn't force anything, but his slow steady grinding had me throwing my head back in ecstasy. I lost all control, giving in to both his body and my own. His breathing was quickening, groans camouflaged by my own. He let go of my bottom, his hand now searching for mine, plucking it off his neck. He stretched them both above my head, pinning me beneath him, and sending me into overdrive.
I felt exhilarated by his weight on me as he pressed me down into the mattress, sinking into me with a drive that set me on fire. He kissed me greedily, silencing my cries, along with his own desperate groans for release. I felt his grip on my hands tighten, and a thin film of sweat started to coat his skin as our bodies rubbed together. His breathing became more irregular, his movements more abandoned and wild. I could tell he was fighting it, refusing to let go. He was stubborn to the very core, but so was I. I lifted my leg and hooked my knee over his shoulder, sinking him deeper.
He gasped. "Foxy!" he cursed indignantly, but he couldn't stop now, I knew that much was instinctive.
I kissed him along the jaw and rolled my hips to meet him in his final movements, until he exploded and a deep, sexy groan erupted from between his sweet lips. Soon, he was trembling, pressing his forehead to mine with his eyes squeezed shut feverishly. He shuddered, breath catching in his throat as he released one of my hands and cupped my face, roughly rubbing my bottom lip.
"You... little.. minx..." he whispered darkly as he tried to catch his breath. "You did that on purpose."
"You can thank me later," I replied, feigning innocence. "I'm sure you can think of something." I wrapped my arms around him and held him to me, his body still shivering from afterglow.
We lay like this for a moment, lost in each other. My fingers ran through his hair tenderly, and a sudden urge to cry came over me. They were tears of joy, for all the times I'd felt so lost. But now I finally felt complete, like a piece of my life that had been missing had been returned to me. I bit the tears back, not wanting to ruin this moment. Reno's lips trailed along my neck and jaw, until they met mine and he kissed me with so much emotion it became even harder to keep myself from crying.
Then he rolled onto his back on the bed, arms spread wide in exhaustion. Unable to resist him now that we'd finally worked things out, more or less, I snuggled closer and lay my head down on his chest. He welcomed me, pulling me close into his side. His eyes were closed now, his breathing was starting to even out. I felt so content lying here with him like this, being able to hold him and watch him to my heart's content. All his little quirks and features. Not to mention the fact he'd left me feeling completely satiated. A deep sigh escaped me, and he chuckled in response.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he grinned.
The silence between us was far from uncomfortable. In fact, we'd gone through so much together, I had no doubt we were both glad we got a moment to digest it all. My mind was still spinning with what had happened tonight, and I was feeling a little dizzy. My thoughts kept traveling back in time to all the things we'd experienced, all the things he had done for me and said to me. They brought a smile to my face. I hoped he wouldn't open his eyes and look at me, or he'd think I was a total retard. What was he thinking about? Was his mind going through the same motions? For now, he seemed content with simply lying here beside me, one arm folded under his head. I hugged his other arm close to me, my fingers wrapped around his bicep and my face pressed to his skin. I never wanted to let him go.
"...Babe…?" His voice was barely more than a whisper, but unmistakably there.
"Hm?" I opened my eyes to look at him, but there was no change in him.
He was still laying peacefully, with his eyes closed, breathing calmly. Had I heard wrong?
"What are ya thinkin' right now?"
I didn't answer right away, I simply looked at the rise and fall of his chest, the curve of his neck and the gentle tilt of his nose. "I was just…thinking about…everything." I swallowed. There was still no reaction from him, as if he were still waiting for me to elaborate. Or maybe he didn't want to fluster me. "It's just so, so stupid that we fought all the time. And I'm sorry about that," I said to him, wanting to get it all out into the open. "I was afraid... Ollie kept telling me that you-" I fell silent and felt a blush rise to my cheeks.
"Kept tellin' ya what?" Now his eyes opened and he rolled over onto his side to face me, so close that I the tips of our noses almost touched. In the reflected moonlight, flecks of gold in his irises almost made his eyes glow.
Contrary to what I had expected, he wasn't laughing at me. He wasn't even grinning. Instead, there was genuine interest on his features.
I cleared my throat. "He kept saying that you were after me for other reasons than to bring me back to Shinra for execution."
This time, there was a small smile. "Like what?" he asked innocently, though by the sound of his cheeky voice, he knew exactly what I was talking about. The villain. He really was going to make me say it.
"He said you had feelings for me. There, I said it, are you happy now? Jerk."
He grinned, enjoying himself a little too much. "That's very perceptive of him. Don't tell me you were actually so stupid not to notice?"
All I could do was stare at him, a little ashamed that I had been so blind. Even worse, once I did recognize the possibility, I'd crushed it before it had a chance to take hold.
"Are ya kiddin' me?" He seemed a little dumbfounded over the fact that I'd had no idea.
I had even denied other people's claims.
"Well that sure explains a lot..." he then grumbled, suddenly looking a little moody.
"I didn't know, I'm sorry. After-" I refrained from saying Sephiroth's name. I would not mention him here in bed with Reno. Never. "After what happened to me, I shut down and I didn't want to even consider the fact that anyone could actually be kind to me. You were Shinra. You stood for everything I despised. And by the way, you're a cold hearted Turk, what did you expect? I refused to see... and then once I did, all I could do was panic and run. I pushed you away on purpose, hoping you would forget about this little... infatuation – and move on. Then Tifa convinced me to at least go say goodbye to you before the show-down. And that's when I realized that, yes, you did mean more to me than I wanted you to and that scared me even more. I think you know what happened next."
Suddenly, he moved, rolling me onto my back and hovering over me.
"Yeah, I do know what happened next. You never gave up on me, that's what happened, babe. You're one goddamn stubborn girl, I'll give ya that. Though," A devilish smirk appeared around his lush lips. "I was never over you, but I think you know that. Seeing you was torture. All I wanted to do, was run my hands all over that body of yours," He dipped down and kissed my neck, making me hiss. "Ya made it so damn hard for me to be around you."
"I'm glad I managed to make it hard," I said cheekily, and then laughed all out at the astonished look on his face.
Then his eyes started to twinkle with amusement and he kissed me, slow and sweet. Once he'd had his fill of tongue, he removed himself from me and lay back down on his back, pulling me into his side.
"Get used to it," he said to me, making my cheeks burn.
I would never outsmart him with my sass, that much I knew. My heart was glowing with warmth as I gazed up at him. I grazed a hand over his handsome face, wanting nothing more than to touch him all day, every day, no matter where.
"Is this the part where you tell me you love me?" I grinned at my own question, knowing all too well he wasn't that sentimental.
As expected, he snorted in response. "As if I'd ever say that."
His words didn't hurt me, we were long passed that. There was no need for him to tell me. I however, had become rather sentimental when it came to him. "I've waited long enough to," I whispered at him, my voice dropping from light to serious. "I love you, Reno."
His eyes widened a bit at my sudden confession, a small gasp catching in the back of his throat. He obviously wasn't used to me being so open about my feelings. Or used to the words 'I love you'. As a matter of fact, neither was I.
"And I can't believe I just said that." I was completely surprised with myself. "Ugh," I groaned and rolled my eyes at myself. "You're turning me into mush, you asshole. Shut up!" I added when I saw him grinning shamelessly. This was so embarrassing. "Surprised to hear me say that?" I asked him then.
"Considering the piece of shit I am, yeah, kinda."
"Stop talking," I placed a finger against his lips. "You need to stop bashing yourself over the head for all the things that have happened in the past. There's no point. Besides, my piece of shit has a lot of good traits too."
"Is that right?" he smirked, leaning closer. "Is that why ya shattered at my slightest touch?"
Now it was my time to snort, though he was definitely right. "Don't give yourself too much credit, that was simply because it had been too long."
"Hmhm…" he hummed. "You ain't ever gonna stop givin' me a hard time, are ya?"
"Hey, you knew what you were getting yourself into."
"Yeah," he said as his hand traveled up my side, sending a fresh shiver through my body. "And what I got into was good."
"Blackguard." I brushed the tip of my index finger across his cheekbone lightly, tracing the red shape of his tattoo. "So, what are these, really? Will you tell me?"
He shifted a little under my touch, getting more comfortable on his pillow. For a while, he only stared at the ceiling, and I wondered whether he would tell me. Judging by his silence, it was something meaningful to him and I wouldn't press him on the matter.
"Remember what I told you 'bout my old man?" he asked me out of the blue. How could I forget? He'd told me in his own subtle way that his father had been abusive, and the way I understood, it was his mom who'd fallen victim to his aggression. "When I was a kid, he cut my mom'scheeks coz another man had made a move on her. He said it was her fault for bein' beautiful. So I went and got these, thinkin' she wouldn't have to be the only one wearing the marks each and every day."
I felt appalled by what he told me, even though I knew he was strong. A kid had no business having to deal with stuff like that. Nor did his mother, for that matter. I made a mental note to pay a visit to his old man when I got the chance. Reno suddenly grinned, his lips curling up at the corners.
"She was so pissed at first," he laughed at the memory. "I was fourteen, she totally lost it. She told me later that it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her."
His mother had been right. It was the sweetest thing I had ever heard, a symbol for someone important to him. I already thought the bullet around his neck special, but having done what he did for her... It flattered me deeply that I was one of the two women in his life that mattered most to him. A feeling of love bubbled up in my chest, and I promised myself that I would never, ever, take him for granted.
Now that he had opened up to me, I'd found out that he liked to show his appreciation and loyalty symbolically. The tattoos on his cheeks, the bullet around his neck. It once again reminded me that he cared so much more than he let on. Maybe now, he could show it without embarrassment. He was strong, and he had been through much in his life, both physical and emotional pain, of this I was sure. But he'd turned out all right. In the past, he'd pretended not to care, or maybe he even thought he really didn't, after what had happened to him as a kid. However, I'd gotten to know him as more than a weapon, more than a blunt force object to be used for someone else's gain. He'd shown me time and time again that he had such a big heart, even if it was a fragile one. I hadn't handled him with the care he deserved, and I had paid the price for it. But now, we were finally passed all that, and we could finally be happy. Things like these, the small things he did, made my heart melt.
"That wasn't long before Charly picked me off the streets. Shinra was lookin' for me for a different reason, but he saw the potential in me when they came for me."
"They came for you? You mean they were there to arrest you?"
"I killed him, Eden," he confessed. There was no regret in his voice, in fact, his voice was completely devoid of emotion. It seemed there was no reason for me to pay his dad a visit. "I was always hiding out on the streets. My mom didn't want me home so I wouldn't have to see it happen... But I did, since he couldn't ever keep his hands to himself. One day I had enough and stood up for her. Grabbed a knife from the counter and buried it in his neck to the hilt. Bastard wasn't so big after that."
I didn't really know what to say. All I could think was that I had no idea what he had been through at such a young age, and how he managed to leave it all behind him. Many people might have hated him for what he had done, thought him a monster, but I knew it took a great amount of bravery. I hooked my hand through his and brought it to my lips to press a kiss to his knuckles.
"What about your mom?" I asked him.
He shrugged, still looking at the ceiling. "Charly took me to her to say goodbye. She screamed at me for joining the Turks. After that, I went with him and never looked back," He hadn't seen her since? "Ain't seen her in over sixteen years," he added, and now I did find a trace of emotion in his voice. "Don't even know if she's still alive. Ya know after..." He trailed off, but I knew what he had been about to say. After all that had happened to Midgar lately. He'd helped evacuate the city himself, but he hadn't seen her there?
"Did you go find her when Weapon attacked?"
"Yeah... but she wasn't there. Maybe it's better that way. She wouldn't remember me anyway."
I didn't agree with him on that. I believed a mother would recognize her child anywhere. Not only that, I knew in my heart she didn't hate him. How could anyone hate him? I caressed his cheek again and pressed a kiss to his temple. Maybe one day, he would be ready to go look for her. If that time ever came, I would support him. Until then, I would cherish him and the fact that he wanted to be with me. We would make this relationship work, no matter what.
I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling disoriented. It took a moment or two for me to remember where I was. When I did, I smiled to myself and relaxed into the pillows. The large room was softly illuminated by moonlight shining through the semi-transparent curtains. The window was open, offering a gentle breeze to pass over my bare skin. The air smelled fresh and pure, unlike the air back in Midgar. This reminded me more of home. The sheets were bundled at my hips, so I pulled them over my chilling body, ridding the goosebumps that had appeared. My eyes traveled to the spot beside me, where Reno was sleeping soundly on his back, facing away from me. One arm was resting beside his nose on the pillow, the other on his stomach. The steady rise and fall of his chest told me he was in deep sleep, and another smile crept over my face at the sight of him. I was glad he slept peacefully. It wasn't a given for people like us.
One side of his face was illuminated by the soft silver glow of the moon, and I took a moment to appreciate his features. It wasn't often I could do so without him noticing. Not that it mattered after today. Long eyelashes fanned across his well formed cheekbones. The soft lips that had charted every inch of my body mere hours ago were slightly parted, emphasizing his cupid's bow. His hair was all over the place, for once not held in check by his goggles. A few bangs had tumbled down across his forehead, adding to his playful look. How I could ever have thought him to be a bad guy, I had no idea. Usually, I wasn't this wrong about people. Then again, I had been mistaken about Sephiroth. I'd thought him a great man, which was why his betrayal had hit me so hard. I'd imagined Reno to be the same, but I had been wrong.
As I lay staring at him, some of the past experiences with him ran through my head. That time in Wutai came to mind first, as it always did. Even though it had ended up in a total fiasco, it had been the moment we'd gotten to know each other a little better. Had I ever imagined him to escort me to bed without any ulterior motives? No, I hadn't. But he'd told me to buck up and stop being a wuss. Had I expected him to come to my aid the moment I called him, to open a safe for me? No, of course not. But he had. He had always been there for me, even when I had been captured by Shinra and he told me he was done helping me. Even then he let me go. I could never repay him enough.
I reached out and ran my fingers over his soft skin, caressing the arch of his ribs, the firmness of his chest. He shifted a little under my touch, a soft groan emitting from his unconscious form. My eyes traveled over him, taking in as many details as I could in the semi-darkness. I once again told myself that I was lucky to have him, lucky that he wanted to be mine. I sighed in content, letting my hand trail over every inch of skin within reach. He must be tired after all his efforts tonight, if not completely spent. Not to mention we had a rough night and day even before that. He deserved his rest.
His eyelids fluttered slightly just before they opened and he fixed his gaze my way. The sparkle in his eyes was apparent even in the dark.
"What are ya doin' way over there?" he asked me, his voice heavy with sleep.
"I'm right next to you," I replied bemusedly, though I scooted even closer and curled up to his side, instantly feeling secure and protected.
His warm skin was bliss to me, and I actually hummed in content at the contact. I gave him a lingering kiss, one he returned with an equal amount of sensation, and then I lay down on his chest. His arm wrapped around me, holding me close. It had been so long since I'd been in the arms of a man this way, and I'd missed it badly.
I continued to ride my fingers over his skin, while feeling his own dance across my shoulder absentmindedly. I sighed deeply again, thinking this was the best place in the world to be, and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Before long, I could tell by his breathing that he had fallen asleep again. His hand had stilled on my hip, but he hadn't let me go. I stared out into the night for a while longer, contemplating on how content and at peace I was right now, and praying that this feeling would never go away.
The next time I awoke, twilight was breaking through at the horizon, painting the room in deep shades of gray. The clock on the nightstand read six thirty am. Silent, crisp dawn slowly made way for busy morning. A cold shiver ran through me. We were still in the same position, but when I ran my hand across Reno's chest I could feel goosebumps along his chilly skin. I drew the covers up higher and snuggled closer again, hoping to warm us both up a little. Reno responded with a soft grunt when I moved, and turned his head over to face me, but he didn't wake up.
I watched him sleep for a while, listening to the birds getting to their business outside. When taking a deep breath, his scent caught my senses, heating me up in a way that no blanket could ever do. I couldn't suppress the sudden feeling of need that bloomed up inside me, even though I knew he was worn out and needed sleep badly. I simply couldn't help myself. There was a beautiful, very naked man in bed with me, a man I knew to possess certain qualities. And I was certain I had yet to find out many more of those. Also, we had some catching up to do.
I leaned closer to him, whispering his name in his ear quietly. There was no reaction from him, and I almost felt bad for waking him up. Almost. Something told me he wouldn't mind this kind of wake up call however.
His skin was smooth to the touch when I let my fingers slide over his torso. He stirred when I softly ran my fingers down his side. And when I pressed a kiss to his chest he murmured faintly. I smirked at his reactions, thinking them very cute. Another kiss was greeted by a barely audible groan, as if he were fighting against waking up, or maybe against falling into a deeper sleep. I placed a more sensual kiss on his skin, before thinking I might as well do this right. I moved to place a knee on either side of his hips, my hair tickling his chest as I looked at him. I'd never imagined him to be such a deep sleeper.
I brought my mouth to his skin again, pouring all my feelings for him into every single touch. My eyes roamed over his relaxed form beneath me, studying the taut muscle under his flawed skin. A bruise here, a scar there. The sight made me lick my lips. I grazed a moist lip across his pearly bud, and this time a more apparent noise left his throat. He was beginning to arouse, and not just in one way. He shifted underneath me, about to awaken.
While I dragged my nails down his sides, I swirled my tongue over the now stimulated stud, and this time, he groaned for real. I leaned in and grazed my teeth across his neck, feeling steamy and seductive. His eyes remained shut, but his lips parted and he exposed his neck to offer me better access. This alone was enough to tell me he liked what I was doing. I bit his earlobe, teasing the sensitive spot below it with nips and brushes. He squirmed into me, seeking more contact. His eyes opened, revealing wildly dilated eyes. Hands reached up and buried themselves in my untamed hair. Then he demanded a kiss, pulling my hair to force my lips to his. I didn't complain. My nails were already digging into his chest, wanting nothing more than to become one with him.
He kissed me hungrily, until I abandoned him and ran a tongue down his torso. He shuddered at the sensual touch, and groaned when I met his fiery gaze, licking and kissing every square inch of his alluring physique. There was no need to check for proof that he wanted me, the look in his eyes said it all. I straddled him boldly, not yet giving him what his body was asking for, what he was silently pleading for. He tried to sit up, but I pressed him down into the bed with a hand to his chest, keeping him in place. He bit his lip and let his head fall back onto the pillow in frustration. I smirked down at him, enjoying his desperation. He looked up at me and waited, but the defiance never left his eyes, and I was glad for it. This man shouldn't be subdued, but cherished.
With that in mind, I re-positioned myself and let him inside. His eyes instantly closed in rapture, his hands grabbing hold of my hips. I let out a throaty moan of my own, a husky sigh that without a doubt traveled out into the waking dawn. I let my head fall back as I slowly rocked him, getting almost overwhelmed by pleasure. My body was tense, ready for release before I had even gotten started, and I felt every stroke hit me just right. I straightened and looked down at him, reveling in what I was doing to him. His brow was furrowed, head tilted back slightly. I needed to touch him, and when I flattened my hand on his chest I felt his heart beating rapidly underneath my palm, his thorax moving in and out with every passionate breath.
Then, as if he felt me watching him, his eyes opened and he looked up at me. Fast as lightning, he reached out and pulled me to him by the neck, devouring me with another passionate kiss. I could never get enough of his kisses. My hips rolled over his steadily, and he placed a hand to my lower back to guide my rhythm. I moaned into his mouth, our breaths mingling in quick bursts. I sat back up again, angling my hips forward. He almost growled in response, gripping my waist tightly.
"Babe…" he breathed on a moan, and the way he was biting his lip with that heated look in his eyes had me losing control. His gaze drifted down to where our bodies merged, and he cursed softly, the husky sound bliss to my ears.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my movements becoming faster without my consent, but I couldn't stop myself anymore. Then a hand slipped between our joined bodies, and what I thought couldn't get any better, almost had me crying out his name. A thumb brushed the most sensitive spot on my body with every grind of my hips. It was maddening. Another thumb ran across my parted mouth, and I leaned into his touch. Fingers traveled down to my neck, wrapping around my throat gently.
His breathing got more ragged, and I knew he was getting close, filling me with delight. My head fell back once more and I curved my spine, and with one last, perfect stroke, I erupted. A fire tore through me, almost endlessly. And just when I thought it would never stop, Reno's thumb applied a little more pressure between my legs, and I thought I would die on the spot. I almost stopped moving from shock, but Reno kept me going, gripping my hips tightly and driving me on towards his perfect ending.
I wanted him to have it, yearned for him to have it, and have it he did. He sat up with a jolt, and all sense of his tenderness was forgotten. He pulled me into him roughly, and I obeyed, feeling in him what he wanted, giving him what he wanted. I rode the lingering waves of my own pleasure, until I rode him to his. I held him to me as he too peaked, breathing just as fast as he was. That delicious sound of his climax filled the otherwise silence of the room, followed by his hard panting. He fell back onto the mattress with his eyes closed, chest heaving up and down with every ragged breath. I sat astride him, looking down at him, gathering my wits.
He dragged his hands down his face to wipe the sweat off his brow, groaning into his palms. Then he dropped his arms onto the bed with a flop and looked up at me.
"Ugh..." he breathed heavily. "You're killin' me, babe," Then he gave me a lopsided smile and caressed my face. "Not that I'm complaining."
I didn't take it as an insult, I knew I'd asked a lot of him over the past seven hours. He wasn't enhanced like me. Despite all his training and abilities, he was still fully human.
"Are you telling me you're out of juice?" I teased him with a smirk.
His eyes flashed in challenge, something I should have anticipated. "Wrung dry." he replied without even blinking. I gasped indignantly at his shameless choice of words and he tackled me down to the bed. "I could get used to wakin' up like this, though," he then added seductively as I curled into his arms. "C'mon, let's get a few more hours of shut-eye. I'm drained."
I scoffed at his stab, but let him pull my back into the curve of his body. He rearranged the blankets around us a little bit, and then he wrapped an arm around me. I felt him press a sweet kiss to my shoulder, but that was the last thing I remembered before drifting off in his embrace.