With a satisfied sigh, Exusiai falls forward onto the bed.

Texas's bed.

This was Texas's room, and the now-relieved Lupo had only just finished using and abusing her precious little angel. She was sweating - they both were - a natural result from their weekly lovemaking session.

"Phew…"

Texas stood at the edge of the bed, reveling in her handiwork. The marks and spots she'd marred the angel's lower back and rear end with. An aberration here, a handprint there, a stain here, a bruise there…

And Exusiai had cried for more the entire time. A true glutton for punishment, especially if Texas was the one doing the punishing. Even now, Exusiai weakly reached back and spread her ass cheeks, showing Texas the absolute mess that she had made of her. Her pussy gently oozed Texas's warm and gooey cum, dripping down from her well-used snatch.

It already started staining the bed sheet beneath her, and Exusiai groaned graciously.

"Fuck," she cursed, "Lord…"

Texas reached out and rubbed Exusiai's tomato-red ass, causing the angel to whimper with every little stroke. And Texas, usually so reserved even in the midst of battle, found herself frowning with worry.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"It hurts so good," Exusiai promised.

"But it still hurts, like always."

Exusiai grinned. "Like always."

Texas got to work immediately. She picked up her bathrobe, which up until now had been left carelessly draped over a chair near the corner of the room. She slips her arms through the sleeves, and tightens the sash, effectively dressing herself. More or less.

Meanwhile, Exusiai just lay there, spent. She reached for her cell phone and winced at the number of messages that she'd been ignoring in the midst of their romp. Texts from their mutual friends, colleagues, and business clients.

"Oops." She smiled anxiously.

"Don't worry about that right now," Texas assured, gently, "it's still your night."

"I should take a shower," Exusiai mused, turning her body over to look at her own torso, as well as the mess between her sticky inner thighs. Bite marks abound. Little reminders of just who she belonged to, at the end of the night.

"You Lupo are so mouthy," she teased.

"Hush." Texas grabbed the remote, and once she turned on the TV, she passed the clicker to her redheaded submissive. "You choose."

"Hey," Exusiai's eyes lit up. "You're getting better at this whole aftercare thing!"

"Mhm."

"...I'm kidding. I really…"

She paused suddenly, feeling awkward for making light of such a moment. Thankfully, Texas knows where to go from here. The Lupo leans in and embraces her angel, nuzzling her nose against her neck. Just ten minutes ago, Texas was sinking her teeth into that neck. Now, however, she was giving Exusiai soft and careful kisses. Diligent little rubs with her nose.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," Texas mumbled, almost sleepily, against Exusiai's skin.

"Hey, hey!" Exusiai wrapped her arms around her lover. "Hey, don't start with that… I loved it. I like how rough you can get," Exusiai promised, "so you don't have to apologize!"

"If you say so," Texas mumbled.

"Awww. Look at you, suddenly so meek and guilty." Exusiai planted a sweet kiss on Texas's jaw, arranging herself so that she was lying down comfortably with her Lupo domme.

"Hey," Exusiai continued, "if you seriously want to make it up to me…"

"Anything," Texas promised, "anything you want. You took it all so well," she remarked, "so it's only fair that I treat you like a princess after that."

"Got any ice cream?"

"What flavor?"

"Ooohhh… what flavors do you have?"

"All the stuff in my freezer is yours. You should know."

"Red velvet then!" Exusiai sat up as Texas smiled, and went off to the kitchen. A minute later she's back, with a sizable tub of ice cream and a spoon. Carefully, Texas places the items in Exusiai's hands, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. From that show of gratitude, Exusiai's halo twinkled just a little bit brighter.

"You're adorable," Texas remarked.

"And you're so good to me," Exusiai reminded.

"I can be better."

"Calm down, you're doing fine… just you being here and committing to this," she said, "is making me happier, and making me feel better already."

"Of course I'd commit to it." Texas pouted, which of course caused Exusiai to smile even wider. She playfully poked Texas's nose.

"You fucked the shit out of me and now you're being mopey. Don't be mopey," she taunted, "just let me princess-it-up for an hour or two."

"Is that what aftercare is? I need to start calling you princess?"

"I mean I certainly wouldn't mind… by the way, how messed up is my back?"

Texas took another look at Exusiai's back as the angel turned her body slightly. While the Sankta started shoving her spoon into the gargantuan tub of ice cream in her lap, Texas internally remarked at all the battle damage she'd given to Exusiai in the midst of their passion.

Sheesh… I gotta be more careful…

"So, how is it?" Exusiai asked, though she didn't get a verbal response. Texas stood up once again, this time turning to go into the bathroom. "Texas? Everything okay?"

"Give me a sec!" Texas could be heard rummaging through the cabinets for something, and her success is punctuated with the slam of a drawer. Moments later, the Lupo returns with a bottle in her hand, showing it off to the bruised angel still sitting down with her ice cream.

Watching cartoons.

Her head perks up at the sight of the bottle. "Oh, lotion? Gonna put it on my back?"

"Mhm."

"Yay!"

It's not long before Texas is kneeling behind Exusiai, spreading the soothing cream onto the Sankta's bruised back and listening to her sighs of relief. All the while, Exusiai was content to continue snacking on her ice cream, eyes glued to the plasma screen TV at the end of the room. She made a show of voicing all her pleasures and excitements, and Texas adored that about the redhead. They were coworkers once, true, but it was inevitable that they would grow to be something much more than just colleagues. In the midst of all the world's strife and conquests, its valleys and potholes, life did have its consolations. Exusiai was one such consolation; one such girl, to treasure for as long as she could in a land such as this.

That's what Texas thought as she rubbed the lotion into Exusiai's back, gliding her slick hands along the angel's back, careful to avoid pressing too roughly. As this scarring showed, Texas didn't always know her own strength.

She made a mental note to take better care of Exusiai. She only had one, after all.

"How does it feel?" Texas asked. Though given Exusiai's pleasured sounds, she had a pretty good idea of what the answer was.

"It feels good, Texas," Exusiai whispered, closing her eyes and just basking in the good vibes that Texas was providing for her, here and now. The discrepancy between this evening and the Lupo's typical demeanor was immense. Exusiai had seen the mercenary at her worst. Now, she was getting a taste of her best. And it tasted like red velvet ice cream on a cozy summer's night.

"You like it?" Texas smiled, rubbing her cream-covered hands along the angel's back, soothing her of those marks and blemishes. Relieving her, with diligent digits against her skin.

"I love it." Exusiai practically purred with pleasure, bending forward slightly so that Texas could rub down more of her skin.

"You should lie down," Texas told her, gently.

"But my ice cream!"

"Just for a minute or two… you'll like it."

"As much as I like ice cream?"

"Come on, Exusiai…"

The angel smiled, setting the tub of ice cream and spoon aside. Right after that, she lays prone and shows off the entirety of her back, keeping her head on a pillow for extra comfort.

That's when Texas continues massaging her. Kneading the cool, soothing cream into the angel's back. Working all the tension out of the hard-working sub's body. From her shoulder blades to the small of her back, and even lower still. Down to her ass, and her bare legs. Texas left no inch untouched. All the while, the angel sighed a sweet and melodic sound. A pure, unbridled relief.

"This is nice," Exusiai whispered, snuggling into the pillow beneath her head. "This feels so good, Texas… I really needed this, thank you…"

"...Anytime, Exusiai. I really mean that," she whispered back. Her tail thumped noisily against the bed, serving as percussion to Exusiai's happy sighs and the cartoons still playing on the TV. She thoroughly enjoys putting her hands on Exusiai in this manner. Making her feel such sweet comfort. Making her feel safe, and wanted.

"Texas… do we have work tomorrow?" The redhead asked, keeping her eyes closed in her indulgence. Texas didn't need to ponder the question for very long.

"Unfortunately, yes. We're fully booked until the weekend," she told her, "why?"

"Hmm. Okay. I can wait until the weekend," Exusiai decided.

"For what?" Texas asked. Then she watched Exusiai turn her head, and smile with such a heavenly happiness - such a radiant warmth - that Texas was stunned into silence.

"Because I want to spend more time with you like this," she told Texas, softly. "I don't want this to end…"

There was something about the manner in which she spoke. There was something about the way her red hair cascaded from her cheeks as she lay down, watching the wolf for any signs of discomfort. The way her Sankta halo seemed to twinkle, faintly; hypnotically. When she witnessed Exusiai lying there, looking like that…

She simply stared, suddenly slack-jawed and considering herself utterly fortunate to be here, right now.

With her.

Lungmen couldn't take this treasure from her. Terra couldn't remove this memory; this feeling. Life, for all its troubles, had its redheaded pleasures.

Texas swallowed, suddenly stricken with a humble feeling. "Exusiai…"

"Mm?" Exusiai watched Texas. "Yeah?"

I love you.

"Finish your ice cream before it melts," Texas mumbled.

"...is that really what you were going to say?" Exusiai smiled again, lazily reaching her hand out to touch Texas. Once that hand was in her own, she gave it a kiss. Uncharacteristically chaste, but it meant more than anything and everything in this world.

"But okay, Texas," said the angel, "I'll eat all your ice cream. Then you'll have no choice but to speak your mind~"

Texas scoffed, crossing her arms and turning to look somewhere else. Anywhere else. Even she couldn't help but wilt under a gaze like that.

"Less talking, more eating. That's an order." Texas spoke through a smile.

"Ehehehe… sure thing, Texas~"