Throughout the entirety of the dinner they'd had, and after, Sherrel's brain had been stuck on repeat, playing a memory over and over again, burning it into her synapses.
It was a simple thing, really. It wasn't some complex idea, hell, words weren't even involved.
It was just a feeling. An action that invoked such intense emotion, it affected her. Something she'd missed; something she craved, but never knew she would.
It was something she also never expected to have, in the recent past, but… there seemed to be some kind of offer for her to have it, if she gave her all to one man.
It was actually kind of dumb, crazy, and maybe even dashed with a bit of insanity, but Sherrel couldn't escape the train of thoughts currently chugging along if she tried.
This crazy and novel thing was what modern day humans called 'Love'.
Such a small word for something so… Vast. So all encompassing.
Before tonight, Sherrel wouldn't have believed such a thing. Love was for dolts who honestly believed what they felt was more than a series of chemical reactions in their brain.
But now? Now she couldn't deny such things as simply as before.
It was hard to use words to describe such a thing - feeling it was like standing next to the person who just won the lottery, was currently eating their favorite chocolate, and had a husband/wife/friends who adored them, the perfect amount of kids, and was going on a cruise in a week.
Sure, it was kinda sorta possible to know what they were feeling, but any similarities were tainted by the jealousy, envy, and bitterness caused by the lack of all those things.
People could claim they weren't jealous of this theoretical perfect person, but they were fuckin liars. Sherrel was woman enough to admit if she was offered that perfect life, she'd take it in a heartbeat.
After scraping the bottom of the barrel it was infinitely easier for her to desire a life like that. A dash of adventure and thrills would be great too, but if she had to give that up for simple happiness and no shithole Merchants ruining everything?
It was a real easy decision to make.
But now… Everything was complicated.
Her situation was akin to the theoretical person she brought up earlier, except she had been told she could have most of those things. Yes, money, friends, happiness… Love.
All she had to do was give her everything to a man. A dragon, supposedly. The Dragon.
Sherrel knew they hadn't necessarily brought it up to try and persuade her to do anything - from what she knew, Asteroth had been in town for a while. If they just took in anybody who was willing to take that deal, he'd be practically swimming in women and drowning in pussy.
Brockton Bay just had a… how did it go? It had the perfect 'target audience' for that particular question.
But instead, he was married to one woman and traded sexual favors to keep his apparently rampant labido in check. Which Mrs. Rain was ok with.
Although it was part of Asteroth explaining his 'story' Sherrel could also guess they brought it up specifically to at least let her know about the existence of such a position, though why they would have any interest in somebody like her she'd never know.
Maybe it was because she was a parahuman? But Mrs. Rain hadn't mentioned having powers, and Asteroth had done all the posturing against the Merchants. Maybe she was normal?
Shit, she could probably just ask. They'd been nothing but kind to her in the two days she'd now been staying at their 'compound'. The tinker had never before lived in such luxury, but now that she had she would be hard pressed to go back.
In the small time she'd had regular access to hot water and quality cleaning products, her mass of blond hair had become untangled and straight, partially restoring itself to the lustrous shine she'd once been so proud of in high school. Her skin's blemishes showed signs of rapid healing, possibly in part due to the healing ability Asteroth had used on her that first night, but definitely being helped by what she had access to now.
The clothes she was given were of excellent quality. Wool, cotton, and silk were the normal, pure and some of the most comfortable articles she'd ever worn. It was on that second day she'd seen herself in the mirror and stopped.
The change those 48 hours had wrought was immense - and it showed beyond just how she looked. Her posture was slightly straighter, as the hunch from constantly cowering around began to disappear. She smiled, and it didn't feel completely fake. She actually had a bra that could support her obscenely large breasts, and holy shit was that a godsend.
The woman looking back at her had some confidence, some fight left in her.
But she was also tired. Life had taken far more years than she had actually lived as of late, and Sherrel wasn't sure she was ready to face the world on her own again.
If only there was a convenient way to get support and care in a conveniently smoking hot package… Oh wait.
Sherrel wasn't originally into girls, but damn if she got to be with Mrs. Rain as well she'd change her mind real quick.
Fuck.
It was messing with her head, honestly. That look they'd shared… It was everything she'd wanted since she was a little girl and she'd been told what love was. Her parents had spun it up, given it a grandiose meaning.
Life had taught her that it was a croc of shit, and that some things might just be impossible to find. Recent experiences said she might have been wrong in her first assumption.
How does one put it into words? The raw emotion pouring out of Asteroth's eyes, saying he'd protect Delilah til the day he died, to the great detriment of anybody who so much as looked at her wrong.
That he'd happily plunge a knife straight into his heart, if it meant Delilah could be safe.
That he would easily trade everything just to see one more smile light up her face.
That the world could turn to ash, but as long as she was there with him it wouldn't matter.
And all those things he felt? They were responded to in kind with equal intensity by his partner.
Fuck if Sherrel knew how she was going to get there, but if that could be hers too… Then God damnit she deserved it. Somebody can only get bent over the table by life so many times before they say 'Fuck it!' and just give up. The young tinker was dangerously close to that point when she arrived, and was still tenuously standing on the precipice.
Sure, things looked up now, but when she left? (If she left.)
Who knew what was waiting out there for her. Even if she escaped Skidmark, there could be somebody even worse right around the corner. Knowing the future was impossible for her, and there were two paths before her.
One offered uncertainty, a vast amount of fear, and the simple unknowableness of life.
The other offered up everything she'd dreamed of as a little girl to her on a silver platter and asked, 'How much would you like?'.
All of it, God damn it, she wanted all of it.
A knock startled her out of her thoughts. "Come in!" She'd only seen two people in the place she now called home, and both had been nothing but kind and supportive of her, so she had nothing to fear.
Delilah, or Mrs. Rain, as Sherrel got stuck calling her in her head, walked in. Her hair was beautiful as always, though if she dared say it her own was slowly starting to look similar. Long, blonde and silky smooth.
The beautiful wife of Asteroth entered with her usual grace and greeted her with a kind smile. "Hello, Sherrel. How are you doing today?"
She earned a small smile back. "So far so good. You know, I looked at myself in the mirror and could hardly believe it was me. I coulda sworn there was some stranger staring back at me with how different I look."
Delilah snorted in a most unladylike manner. Sherrel grimaced, waiting for the oncoming side of Delilah she'd never seen coming. "Girl, with boobs as big as yours I didn't think there'd be any mistaking exactly who you were."
As it turned out, once Delilah got more comfortable with Sherrel and she learned the tinker wasn't going to blow over in a stiff wind, she allowed a bit more of her 'personality' to come out. That is to say, the sarcastic and unafraid of a little dirty humor side.
"Shut up, you know what I mean. It's just been so long since I've looked so… Healthy. Happy. Clean. You name it." The silence grew somber after that before The Dragon's wife broke it, stepping closer to her and laying a hand on her shoulder.
"And might I say, we are both quite happy to see you recovering as swiftly as you are." The smile that graced her full lips told Sherrel she was truly happy at simply seeing her get better. "What I came over here to see, actually, is if you needed or wanted anything. Asteroth is going to go nab a few things from the market just down the street."
Sherrel pondered for a moment, before shaking her head. "Nothing off the top of my head, you guys have everything I need."
Delilah cooed, cupping a hand to her face. "Ah, we have everything you need, do we? How sweet of you to say." The saccharine grin and heavily emphasized word told Sherrel her host's mind was taking another dive into sarcasm.
Batting the hand away, Sherrel could stop a small smile from forming on her face. "Oh shut it, you know what I mean. Get your mind out of the gutter, not everybody around here is a sex fiend like you two."
Sherrel had taken well to the sometimes rather poor jokes Delilah made. Their relationship thus far had been more than cordial, and she was happy to have met her. Things would have been a little awkward with just Asteroth around, anyway.
With the subtlety of a charging bull, Sherrel's thoughts were dragged back to their state just before Delilah showed up. Sensing the sudden mood shift, the blond woman standing next to her looked at her with concern.
"Are you alright, Sherrel? You suddenly look so worried about something. Anything I can do to help?" The woman was sweet as could be when she thought something was wrong, and Sherrel couldn't find it in herself to appreciate her attentiveness at this very moment.
"Ah… You could say that." Several seconds passed as the young tinker gathered her thoughts. "Am I crazy for thinking that what you guys have, and the possibility I could be involved in something like that doesn't immediately sound insane to me? Far from it, actually…"
She trailed off, staring blankly ahead, trying to once again wrap her head around exactly how she felt. The same cold hand as before, returning to gently trace her jawline with enough pressure to make her look up snapped her back to reality. The smiling and kind visage of Mrs. Rain was the first thing she saw, and Sherrel couldn't help but drink it in like a woman dying of dehydration.
"Of course not, my dear. We have a… rough idea of what you've been through. Asteroth has 'talked' to a couple of Merchants who got a little too close to the territory to find out exactly how vengeful he needs to be. Beyond what you've told us, already, of course." The pleasantly soft finger continued traveling down to her chin before she gently gripped it.
"Asteroth doesn't just talk to anybody about his needs or his life. If he doesn't believe somebody will be interested, or we ourselves don't want to be involved with somebody, he simply doesn't discuss it. Most people simply won't believe the truth, so telling it is surprisingly not as scary as it seems. Why do you think he bothered to give you all the details? Specifics about our relationship, even?"
Sherrel racked her brain to think of a reason. If they were simply being polite, they really had no reason to tell her nearly as much as they did. But… they had. Which meant…
"Asteroth is interested in somebody like me?"
Delilah's grin was as bright as the sun. "No, Sherrel, both of us are interested in you. Asteroth doesn't like to make decisions for other people, much as his inner dragon doth protest, and he especially doesn't want to make his relationship, and in turn our relationship, more complicated than it needs to be."
Sherrel would be lying if she denied that being wanted made warmth pool in her gut, or sent tingles down to her toes. "But… you hardly know me. I'm essentially a tinker version of a crack whore who got passed around more often than a dollar bill. Who would want me?"
The wife of The Dragon's frown was even darker than her smile was bright. "Now Sherrel, everybody goes through things in life, but that doesn't mean that suddenly your value as a human being drops just because some shit happened to you. Asteroth is very astute when it comes to judging people, and after talking with you the past couple days I'm in agreement. Sure, you're a little rough around the edges, maybe a little crass, but I can tell that inside of you is a sweet girl that just needs a little love. Love we are more than happy to give, if you'll have it."
"But… I guess I'm still lost. You both JUST met me. Surely you don't want to make a decision as impactful as this so quickly?" It seemed a little foolish to her currently addled brain.
Delilah laughed, releasing her chin in favor of moving the hand to her back and tracing small circles and lines there. "Don't worry about that, Sherrel. This sort of a thing… It takes time. The kind of bond we have doesn't just form overnight. Honestly the beginning is not unlike regular dating, at least from what I know. You swiftly decide whether you want to stay or not, and then you form a basic bond. Even at that point, should you suddenly change your mind, it isn't impossible to turn back. As time goes on however, the bond strengthens. It grows with your love, and his own. Eventually it matures and becomes like the bond me and Aster currently share. We are… connected, on a fundamental level, that transcends anything as simple as what we consider 'love'."
The hand moved again, and it was joined by the other as Delilah gripped both of her shoulders. "If this is something you want to pursue, then talk to Aster about it. From what I know, I'd be happy to welcome you into the fold, and he hasn't told me otherwise. Where you go from here is up to you, because like we said, you are free to leave anytime you want. We'll help you however we can, even. But if you choose to stay… You'll be part of our everything." She smiled, smaller this time, and with more intent.
"Don't think too hard about it. Things like this… sometimes can't be solved by being rational. Think about how you feel and what you want in this life, and decide. We'll be here."
With a pat, Delilah let her go and departed the room, leaving her to reel from the information overload and emotional bull currently rampaging through her guts.
A Dragon of Ends and Beginnings
Sherrel found Asteroth in his study, which was equal in its decadence to the rest of the home they'd made. Rich mahogany, lacquered and shining in the dim overhead lights made up the desk he was currently writing on, while the plush carpet was deep enough for her to sink into.
With a final swipe of his pen, The Dragon finished signing whatever document he was working on and shoved it into what was likely the 'done' folder, before turning his crimson gaze towards her, instantly making her stomach resume its attempts at Olympic gymnastics.
He smiled, without showing any teeth. "Greetings Sherrel! How have you enjoyed your stay at our lovely abode? Has it been to your liking?"
The greeting was so friendly and warm it took her by surprise. Their interactions had been fairly limited, as Asteroth had been busy with a few things and missed one of the dinners they would have normally shared. Being the head honcho and sole guardian of his territory must be quite a lot of work.
"Ah, It's been wonderful, sir." He immediately waved his hand in the air, interrupting her.
"Bah, none of that sir nonsense. Just call me Aster, or Asteroth if you must."
"Of course… Aster." If he preferred to be called by that then she'd rather not irritate him. "I spoke to Delilah and she told me a few things. Honestly, they made me happy to hear, but…"
"But you need to hear it straight from me? You need proof that we're not full of crap?" She nodded shamefully, understanding that it wasn't something so easily proven. Words could only do so much.
"In that case, allow me." With the sort of regal grace that Skidmark could never have hoped to pull off, Asteroth gently rose until he was standing across from her, before slowly stalking across the carpet until he was still touching his desk, but it was no longer between them.
"Sherrel. Before I begin, let me confirm something - Delilah spoke to you about how the both of us wouldn't mind seeing if you were a potential bondmate? About how we could possibly see you as our lifelong partner and literal soulmate?" His words were heavily laced with meaning and power, his red eyes boring into her own, and she found herself unable to look away.
"Y-yes." She wasn't able to get out more than a single syllable before her breath caught.
The Dragon smiled, a grin with his razor sharp canines exposed and pearlescent white teeth gleaming. "My dear, have you ever heard the phrase, 'a diamond in the rough'?"
She nodded.
"I find it fits you perfectly. I want you to think about your life, for just a moment, will you? What led you from your home to Brockton Bay, and the journey that led to you being right here, instead of still being trapped with the Merchants, or dead in an alley somewhere."
Why did he… Well, it doesn't matter, she'd just do as he said. Sherrel had fled from home shortly after triggering, leaving the shithole of her hometown in the rearview. That had been a powerful moment for her - a crowning achievement at the time. She'd made it. She'd escaped.
It had taken a lot of will and effort, close calls and risk, but she'd built herself a ride that could take her as far away from home as she needed it to.
Then she'd finally arrived at Brockton Bay, and had a few days of freedom, before it all went to shit. Then she'd been forced to work, both with her tinker skills and her body. It had been a swift degradation from there on; her mind slowly slipping into fugue states and the windows of lucidity growing smaller, and further and further apart.
Then, the sinking realization that if she didn't get out she would never escape and this would be the rest of her life. The half-baked plan she'd cobbled together. And the fear, desperation, and anger that had fueled the last few minutes of her desperate flight.
Asteroth's voice brought her back to reality. "Thats it - right there. What else is there to even ask about? Anybody capable of doing what you did is worthy of my attention and more in my eyes."
"What are you talking about?" Irritation seeped in and replaced the nervousness she'd felt earlier. "Life just punted me around like a chewed up dog toy for most of my life. In what way does that make me desirable? In what way does getting hooked on every drug under the sun and forced to suck and fuck some of the most disgusting men to ever disgrace this earth MAKE ME DESIRABLE!?"
Raw fury laced her voice, before the realization she'd just yelled at one of the scariest people in Brockton Bay. She immediately retreated into her shell, shoulders hunching to present a smaller profile, and her breath rapidly sped up as panic began to set in.
Before the panic attack could really set itself into motion, arms that released a blazing warmth circled her loosely covered shoulders, before she felt herself get pulled into a heavily muscled chest. The scent of fire, smoke, and a cold night's air filled her nostrils, immediately loosening some of the tension that had started its slow crawl up her back.
"There there, dear one. You have nothing to fear in this home, not while you're under my care, not even from me." One of his hands was slowly tracing up and down her spine, sending pleasant tingles of warmth through her. They stood there for a minute, Sherrel simply soaking up the comforting heat he offered.
"What you need to understand, Sherrel, is that what you've been through, while a travesty, does not make me think anything less of you. In fact, I hold you with incredibly high regard. Do you know why?"
The snark slipped out before she could stop it. "Because you know I'll be a good lay?"
His hand momentarily stopped its movements along her back to gently smack her upside the head, and she found herself instantly missing its presence. It returned immediately and resumed, much to her pleasure.
"No, because you're a damn fighter. Do you know what would have happened to the average person if they'd been placed in your shoes?"
"I assume they'd have trudged along and tried to do the same thing."
He snorted. "I see you haven't been completely jaded yet, that's reassuring. The truth is, Sherrel, most people wouldn't have made it through what you have. Whether because they simply turned into a vegetable from the strain, committed suicide, or just… shut down. But not you. You, my dear, felt your life slipping away, and made a play for freedom, with no guarantee of success, or even safety if you believed some of the rumors about this place."
He pulled her away slightly, so he could peer into her eyes once again. "Sherrel, I find you to be a woman of incredible strength and character. What else there is to know is yet to be seen. But, I would like to find out, if you'll let me. I know Delilah does too. So if you can't believe in yourself, put your faith in us and trust our words. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are deserving of nothing but the best this world has to offer. So make a choice, pick your path, and find your destiny, whatever you decide that to be."
Sherrel found herself again unable to look away, captivated by the mesmerising dance of crimson light dancing through Asteroth's eyes. Perhaps it was the conviction that laced his tone, or the utter certainty he had that he was right, but she found it hard to deny his words. So she chose not to.
Closing her eyes, she pressed herself into the warm comfort of his chest, and she felt his arms tighten around her, pressing her into him, as her own arms grasped the back of his shirt for comfort.
She really shouldn't have felt as comfortable as she did - her reaction to any man approaching her in the recent past had been vitriol and unbridled fear. Aster, the sweet man that he was, had proven himself to be surprisingly earnest for such a force of nature, a side of him she'd only briefly glimpsed the first night they met.
His words were filled to the brim with honesty and heart, enough to sway even her broken trust.
She sighed, the catharsis of her fear turning into trepidation turning into… something she wasn't sure of. It was warm, fluttery, and made her stomach churn, but not nearly as bad as it was at the start.
"You great big idiot. How can you say something like that to someone like me? Just like I told Delilah, you barely know me. How can you be so sure?"
Without any hesitation, he responded. "I know enough. Enough to take a chance. Perhaps you should do the same?" His speech caused his chest to rumble, sending pleasant shivers through her body.
"You and Delilah are pretty good at this. Do you trap fair maidens with your group tactics often?" Asteroth snorted, choking back a laugh.
"Does it look like we're drowning in company? No, there hasn't been anyone Delilah or I have felt particularly attached to, at least not enough to offer… something like this."
"And the stray you picked up was?"
"Girl, are you just fishing for compliments now or do you seriously still not believe me?" She chuckled softly into the warm surface of his shirt.
"No, no, I believe you. But… It's not wrong to say I'm damaged goods. I'm fucked up, even though I wasn't trapped for all that long... I honestly have no idea what a real relationship even entails. Or how to go about being in one. Like, what do you even do?"
The arms encircling her slowly loosened, before tugging on her gently to get her to release his shirt and remove her face from where it was currently plastered. Sherrel groaned at the attempt to take her away from the warmth, but acquiesced sadly.
"We can start wherever we want to. I guess the best thing to do, though, is determine some boundaries." She furrowed her brow, and gave him a confused look.
"Yes, boundaries. Like, what are you willing to do? I don't want to push you into something that makes you uncomfortable, not until you're ready. As Delilah said, nothing shall ever be forced on you while you're here." He said with a smile, filled with warmth and care.
Shivers raced down her body from the look, but she held steady. "Well, I don't think I've ever been on a date. Scratch that, I actually did have one in high school, but I overheard the guy talking about how he scored some time with the biggest rack in the entire school, and it wasn't exactly hard to deduce the rest, so I ditched him. So, that is entirely unknown territory. In regards to sex… I'm honestly scared to… do it with anybody again anytime soon. My body hasn't felt right for a long time, though I'm pretty sure it's a mental thing not a physical one. I'm not entirely unopposed to other forms of sex though. Blowjobs and the like are things I grew desensitized to a long time ago."
The sigh she heard coming from Asteroth almost sent her into another panic, thinking she'd said something wrong. "Sherrel, while I did want to mention sexual boundaries and they're good to know, I was talking more about basic stuff. This relationship, as it is, is a baby. Rushing things isn't going to help anybody, so what I meant to say was, some people are quick and ready to hold hands, kiss, cuddle, do things like that. Sex can crop up for people who were already close before dating, or as a fling, but for something like this… its normally not broached until a little later, I think."
Releasing a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, Sherrel cursed herself for her own ignorance, not that it was her fault. Asteroth seemed happy enough to inform her of exactly what he meant, and he wasn't upset at her, more at the circumstances that got her to the point she was at.
"Honestly, the physical intimacy stuff will be… new. I don't mind trying it out and seeing how it goes. I probably won't know how I feel about it until I try it." He gave her a grin.
"How'd you like to try something out now then?"
"... I wouldn't mind, I guess?" Though she'd really thought better of him. Just because she said she'd become numb to choking down dicks didn't mean she wanted to immediately go back to that. Sherrel's regard for him and his thoughtfulness dropped rapidly. Perhaps this wasn't such a good id -
Something firm like silk, slightly damp, and pleasantly warm pushed itself onto her lips. Her brain short-circuited as the sensations from her body flooded her mind and erased any thoughts in regards to anything else.
Hesitantly, she pushed back with a little force, causing Asteroth to react, who'd been patiently waiting for her to realize what was happening. Lips locked, she slowly eased into the kiss that she only now realized she was having, causing the warmth from him to spread across her face.
Sherrel didn't really know what else to do. For all her 'experience' kissing wasn't exactly something she was interested in, nor were the damned Merchants who'd been 'partaking' of her.
It seemed that wouldn't be a problem for Aster, however, as he slowly returned her push with his own, parting his teeth slightly to nibble on her lower lip, gripping it and gently rolling it back and forth.
The sensations suddenly jolting down her spine told her she liked it; she liked it a lot. When he relented his grip on hers, she immediately returned fire and nipped at his own lip. At some point, without her conscious thought, her eyes had closed. This meant that rather than see it, she could feel the small smile that tried to form on his mouth, only to remain trapped by her own.
While she toyed with his lips between her teeth, alternating between his lower and upper in glee, he altered his stance, cocking one leg back slightly and pushing the other one forward, before gripping the small of her back with both hands and pulling her flush against him.
The sudden motion, short though it was, mashed her considerable breasts into his chest, causing her nipples to rub harshly against the fabric of her shirt. She gasped, accidentally ending the kiss.
No more than a second later and Sherrel pulled herself taut against him and pressed her lips back to his with a noisy smack.
This time, after several seconds of movement of lips shifting and sucking against each other, Sherrel felt the tip of something hard and wet lightly dance, featherlight, against her mouth.
Hesitantly, unsure of what to do, she parted her teeth since they hadn't started 'playing' again. Asteroth's tongue entered her mouth slowly and cautiously, moving forward bit by bit, as though making sure she was ok with it.
She groaned at him, urging him to get on with it, and he did. Closing the distance, their tongues met and began sliding against each other before parting, allowing him to explore and touch every inch of her mouth.
After a few seconds of this, they briefly parted for air, her lungs heaving after the extended seconds of kissing.
They separated just far enough to stare into each other's eyes, allowing Sherrel the opportunity to see Asteroth's own chest rapidly rising and falling as he too greedily sucked in air.
While she wasn't familiar with the… intimacy of this kind of kiss, she was rapidly finding Asteroth to be both attentive and patient with her as she learned, and if the jolts of pleasure and heat pooling in her abdomen was an indicator, she liked it. A lot.
Asteroth's hands rested right on the small of her back, keeping most of her body pressed into his. Now that she could actually see their positions, her legs in between the two of his as he pressed her in as closely as possible, this is exactly what she imagined two proper lovers would look like, wrapped in each other's embrace.
The thrill of having such a thing for herself chased away any doubts she might have had about their first 'kiss' starting so abruptly. Or their second. Or third.
With a sly grin, knowing only one way that this situation could possibly be improved, she gently released her arms from around his back and reached to her own, where his hands lay, before gently pushing them down.
The confusion in his eyes was cute, but he slowly got the picture at her constant pressure. He slowly dropped his hands, incredibly slowly, making sure she was ok with each movement, the hesitation only serving to fan the flames of her desire further. When they finally reached their intended destination, she let go and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, allowing her a solid grip for what she wanted to do next.
Asteroth's hands, now firmly resting on her ass, one hand on each cheek, tightened up in surprise, to her great pleasure, when she jumped into the air, using her arms as leverage, wrapping her legs around his waist.
For all her weight, Asteroth barely budged at the sudden shift in position, though the intense grip he had on her butt ensured she didn't fall. This was, perhaps, the only position that allowed them to get closer than they were before, and she immediately took advantage of that fact.
Their lips met for the fourth time, eagerly caressing and dancing across themselves. It was in this way that the next several minutes passed, which Sherrel would later recall as nothing more than a hazy, pleasure-filled blur.
When their energy was finally spent, Sherrel remained wrapped tight around his waist, but from the slightly higher position her head was in she was able to rest her forehead atop his, gazing passionately into her partner's eyes, seeing the same fervor matching her own inside his crimson gaze.
"As I said, nothing will ever be forced on you - that includes things you don't want to do in general, not just things you are unwilling to do. I trust this was better than whatever you thought was about to happen?"
The process of catching her breath was taking longer than she expected, but she was able to gasp out a response. "Ya… Much, much better."
This time, there were no lips to interfere with the delighted smile from spreading across his face. "Maybe you'd like to try it again sometime?"
Sherrel chuckled, a low and breathy laugh that caused interesting feelings to rise from her breasts, the motion dragging them up and down the plane of Aster's chest. "If you let me I'd keep you trapped in a dungeon so I could get a hit of the sweet, sweet dopamine release you just caused any time I wanted it."
Asteroth smiled, slipping his hands from where they'd imprinted themselves onto her ass, trusting her arms and legs to be support enough, and gently cupped both of her cheeks and pulled her in for another kiss, this one far more chaste than the last.
"All you have to do is ask, my dear. If you're with us, then you're with us. There is no 'in between', no 'trial period'. If you're sure that this is what you want… Then you can ask anything of me. My heart and soul exist for Delilah, and now you. You might not think so, for the reasons you attempted to argue before, but I promise you things are exactly as I said. You're in, now, for as long as you want to be, or until we achieve a matured bond."
Sherrel agreed with him. It was kind of ridiculous to think he'd suddenly be as protective of her as he was Delilah, but… she had the feeling it was a tad more complicated for him than it was for her.
This was, effectively, a relationship for her, with the early intention of developing it into something far more. For him, it was a rarity - finding somebody who he felt he could share himself with. Even if the young tinker decided she wanted to walk away, then he would accept it. But if she left because he hadn't given it his all? Or she was lost due to being killed, or injured severely?
Then he was in a tough spot, if his tale was to be believed.
Sherrel doubted she could properly understand his point of view, but she believed him, for what that was worth.
"Then I suppose I'll be bugging you for some hits of my new favorite, and only drug, my one and only dealer." He snorted at her crude joke.
"I do want to make one thing abundantly clear, Sherrel. You can ask me anything. Don't be scared, ever, to talk to me. I do want this to be a proper relationship, that you may learn the joys that I myself have learned with Delilah."
Still mounted onto his waist, Sherrel opted to pull Aster into a fierce hug, before whispering into his ear with a shaky voice.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. And to reassure you, the only pressure I've felt is to be happy and be myself, so don't worry about me. I'll do my best to fulfil your wish, and find happiness. I suspect it'll be easier with both you and Delilah's help. Thank you for not only saving my life, but giving it back to me as well. Words will never be enough to describe how I feel."
He was hugging her back just as fiercely, trying to mold her into his front. "You'll never have to fear again, if I have anything to say about it."
They remained there, locked in each other's embrace, for a long while. When Sherrel's arms and legs began to grow tired from supporting herself, she slowly eased herself to the ground with Aster's help.
Once she was settled, she winked at The Dragon himself, her now boyfriend? Bondmate? Something more than friends, since they'd polejumped that stage by a large margin. "I'll let you get back to work, Mr. Rain."
He chuckled. "I appreciate it, though you can interrupt me anytime. And it's actually not 'Rain'. I discarded my last name long ago after… Well, its a tale for another time, lets say. Delilah chose her last name when we became fully bonded, as something deeply personal to her. You, if you so choose, should we make it to the fully bonded stage, have the choice of keeping your own name or making your own."
Sherrel's brow furrowed in a questioning manner. Aster chuckled lightly at her expression before explaining further. "Anybody who I bond with is, without a doubt, going to do great things. That in itself is another thing I'll have to explain later, but needless to say, anybody who bonds completely with me, will make a name for themselves in one way or another. They don't have to, but I doubt the people I attract will be so plain. Anyway, the point is, I can tell you my last name if you truly desire it, but at the end of the day I want every single one of my bondmates to stand out. To be unique, and known for not just being with The Dragon. To that end, your last name is yours to decide. To forge into greatness, if you desire. Hence why you can choose a new one, or keep your own. Again, if you truly desire to simply adopt what once was mine, I can tell you, but… it won't quite mean the same thing."
She nodded, digesting what she'd just been told. "I think I understand. And I appreciate the thought. I think I'll take you up on that, honestly the further I can distance myself from my family the better. I'll have to think up something awesome though…"
He chuckled again. "You do that. Make sure it's something great though, it'll stick with you forever."
"Naturally! I would accept nothing less. Ok, for real this time, I'll let you get back to work." Darting in, she stole a quick peck on the lips, delighting in the sensation and warm smile that emerged from her action.
Sherrel bolted out the door and shut it behind her, slightly harder than was probably necessary, as her heart pounded out of her chest and her breath felt like it was actively fighting to enter her body.
A small motion caught her eye, causing her head to whip to the side, where Delilah was standing, having undoubtedly spied on them from the door, flashing two thumbs up at her, with a ear-splitting grin adorning her face.