Author's Note: Friday 20th of December - the last post of the decade! I'll be putting up my new posting-schedule around New Year, so be on the lookout for that if you want to know when to check for updates. I'll also be stretching things a bit more to accomodate my work hours, so updates, sadly, won't be as frequent as they've been these past two years. However, I do this with the intent to keep up the quality and at least some regularity when it comes to posting, so I hope you can all live with it for the remainder of the story - seeing as I plan for it to reach its end in 2020 :)
For now, I'm gonna take a little Christmas/New Year's break, so - Merry Christmas to you all, and cya (hopefully) in the next decade!

Warning: This chapter contains nudity and smut! The beginning and ending of the smut will be clearly marked and, while this is not recommended, is skippable.


Lydia

"Mother? Mother?" A voice sounded, and Lydia groaned tiredly as she was pulled from sleep. Beside her, Caesar rumbled and turned away, his back facing both her and the large door that led to their hut's balcony.

She blearily blinked open her eyes, grimacing as she peered through the thin opening between the hide-curtains.

Outside, the sun hadn't even risen yet, the sky nothing more than a canvas of colours transitioning from pale yellows and oranges and into a dark hue of blue as the night receded.

"Mother!"

"Mhmm?" She hummed tiredly as she pulled the thick pelts closer around her. It was one of those clear, icy mornings of winter and though their hut was warmed by both torches and a small, built-in firepit, simply looking at the cool colours of early morning outside had her shivering.

She turned her head to look at the person who had woken her so rudely, knowing that feigning sleep wasn't going to be an option.

And right there, so close to her face she could feel his breath across her cheeks as he bowed down in front of her, with two large hands clutching the edge of the nest in impatience, was Cornelius.

"Are you awake, Mother?" He asked curiously, his voice just above a whisper now that he finally had her attention.

Just like Caesar's voice was a rich, gravelly timbre, so was Cornelius', if only a few octaves higher in pitch rather than the deep tone of his father's, and with more of a scratch to it. Still, Lydia had no doubt that once he reached adulthood, the Ape Prince's voice would be just as mesmerising as the Ape King's own, if not more so. It carried the same warmth, for sure, and would surely be enchanting to any young female.

How far he had come from that time he had spoken his first word over in Orion and Ivy's hut just a couple of months after they had all settled here.

That was now a year and a half ago, and their new home wasn't so 'new' anymore.

And little Cornelius was suddenly no longer so 'little' either.

At five years old, he was now too big for her to carry him around, and certainly more active – and talkative – than his adopted older brother had ever been at this age.

Especially in the morning…

"Can I go visit brother? He promised he would take me out fishing today." He asked urgently, his big, green eyes intent on her as he waited for an answer.

Lydia didn't know whether to groan or laugh in exasperation. Still only half-awake, she was almost tempted to just turn onto her side with the words 'ask your father' and let Caesar deal with it. But if she did that, her mate would most likely just rumble out a quiet 'yes', completely uncaring of the absolutely ungodly hour of the day – and anyone else's right to a good night's rest.

Blinking the sleep from her eyes once more, Lydia resolved to prop herself halfway up to lean on her elbow, running a hand heavily across her face to wake herself.

"Sweetie, don't you think it's a little early? Orion and Ivy are probably still asleep."

Like any normal person should be right now, she added inside her mind, though she made sure not to show her slight irritation at having been woken up to her (hopefully) unsuspecting son.

Lydia was not a morning-person. Never had been, never would be, despite her job as a huntress. On the days she had to get up, she always just shouldered through the morning-grumpiness and stayed in her own hut until properly awake so that no one else – except maybe Caesar, the poor ape – had to deal with her.

But today wasn't a hunting day. Both Rocket's group and Lydia herself had been quite successful yesterday and thus, there was no need to set out this morning. It was, essentially, their day off.

Though, apparently, her youngest didn't get that memo…

Cornelius shook his head.

"I looked down there through the window. There is light in the hut." He said smartly, and already Lydia barely had the will to argue anymore.

Still, for Orion and Ivy's sake, she figured she should.

"It's winter, Sweetie. They have a fire going through the night, just like we do." Lydia reminded him with a tired sigh. "Why don't you let them sleep? The fish aren't going anywhere."

"Orion says it's best to start early with fishing." Cornelius said matter-of-factly, the trust he put in his brother's knowledge all too clear. The two had grown incredibly close over the years and nowadays, there was no one Cornelius idolized more than Orion – maybe except for Caesar.

Lydia yawned, feeling dampness pool in the corners of her eyes from the sheer intensity of it.

Well, if Orion had told Cornelius this himself…

She waved her hand dismissively, giving up on her endeavour to save her oldest child some rest.

"Do what you want, then." She said, plumping unceremoniously back down into the nest. "Tell them 'hello' from me, will you?"

So much for making an effort.

Above her, Cornelius smiled almost triumphantly, those green eyes shining with happiness in the low morning light before he leaned down to sweetly kiss her cheek.

"I will, Mother!" He promised before getting to his feet and darting towards the door. "Sleep well!"

"Have fun, Sweetie." Lydia called back with a tired wave as the wooden door at the hut's entrance was slammed closed and silence – sweet, blessed silence! – fell once more.

Lydia sighed in relief, though felt a soft smile tug at her lips at her youngest son's antics, so very different indeed from when Orion had been that age.

Back when he had been younger, it had been much harder for Lydia's subconscious to tell them apart and on more than one occasion, in those sluggish moments of half-consciousness as she had woken up, she had sometimes woken up believing it had been Roy and little Orion she was lying next to – not Caesar and Cornelius.

It had felt as if she had gone back in time – or the horrible events that had transpired after Koba's betrayal had never taken place at all – and those moments had been rather confusing - jarring, even, and she had talked a lot with Caesar about them.

But as Cornelius had grown and the quirks in his personality had become more outspoken, these occurrences became less and less frequent. Lydia didn't quite know if it was because her mind had finally decided to accept this new family or if it was because Cornelius was usually up and about much earlier than her nowadays. Perhaps it helped that his daily routine turned out to be so different from Orion's?

She really couldn't tell, but she did much appreciate not waking up a confused mess every fortnight.

"Your thinking is so loud I can almost hear it, Lydia." A deep, gravelly voice sounded beside her, almost making her jolt in surprise.

She was sure Caesar felt her slight twitch, though he didn't comment on it. In fact, once she had rolled onto her back and turned her head to face him, Lydia noted that he was still on his side with his back towards her.

A low, amused huff left her.

"I'm surprised you're still awake." Lydia commented drily, placing her hands to rest on top of her stomach. "I expected you to fall asleep again as soon as Cornelius left."

Well, it would have been safe for her to assume that. This early in the morning, even Caesar could be considered a heavy sleeper. She had honestly expected him to pass out the moment their home had grown quiet again.

"Your breathing was uneven." He stated simply, deciding to finally flip onto his back and turn his head to stare at her, mirroring the way she was lying.

"Seriously?" Lydia asked, chuckling and with a dark brow raised at him humorously. "You sure you aren't just turning into one of those old apes who wake up with the birds, huh?"

She reached over and ran her fingers through the thick hair lining his jaw, the colour having settled on a salt-and-pepper grey since they had moved here. At least it hadn't gone completely white yet, as Lydia had suspected it might have with the continued pressure he had endured these last couple of years. Further up, at his temples, streaks of solid grey swept backwards to mingle seamlessly with the original, black colour of his hair, adding to his already distinguished look.

Still, there was no denying that Caesar had aged since they had first met all those years ago – and especially so throughout the last three to four years.

Didn't mean he had lost that rugged, burly look that Lydia was so attracted to, though. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

The Ape King raised a heavy brow, playful challenge clear in still-tired his gaze.

"Old?" He asked in mock-offence. "That's what you think of me?"

Chuckling, Lydia withdrew her hand to wave it at him in what was supposed to be a placating manner.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot I was talking to the Ape King himself." She answered sarcastically, then rolled onto her side and propped herself onto her elbow, leaning over him in the nest. "I didn't mean to say 'old'… Hmmm. Venerable. Yes, that's the word I was looking for! Of course!"

She ran the index finger of her free hand down the side of his face, tracing its contours until she reached his chin, which she then held between her thumb and index finger.

"You must forgive me for my transgression, your majesty! I never meant to offend you so! My, oh my!" Lydia drawled, making Caesar roll his eyes and give off a low chuckle. "Is there anything I can do to make up for this blunder? Anything at all, your majest- hmm!"

A pair of strong arms quickly wrapped around Lydia's back and shoulders, and a large palm encased the back of her skull, pulling her down towards Caesar until his lips met her own.

She didn't mind the interruption, though, as his mouth moved beneath hers, coaxing her into reciprocating the kiss – not that he even needed to, really, as a pleasurable chill ran down Lydia's spine, trailing after the tips of Caesar's rough fingertips.

The hand, having snuck underneath her shirt, settled firmly on her lower back, grounding her as the kiss grew more passionate and Lydia found herself softly moaning against Caesar's mouth.

Then, all too soon, the hand on the back of her head, now entangled in her dark hair, pulled her away from his mouth, ending the kiss sooner than Lydia would have liked.

Dazed, she cracked her eyes open, not having even realised that she had closed them in the first place, to find Caesar staring up at her with an infuriatingly handsome smirk.

"That will do, I think." He said, moving his hand in front of her face to trace her cheek with his thumb.

It was obvious that he was goading her along.

Well… Cornelius always being up and out the door before either of them did have its advantages… And since they were both awake right now…

"Oh please," She said, eyes still lidded as she let her hand travel down from his chin to his chest, where she began to slowly massage his pectorals. "I can do so much better than that!"

Lydia leant down and brushed her lips against the edge of his mouth, letting her lips run along his jaw until she reached his ear, where she contented herself with nipping teasingly at the lobe.

(Smut Begins Here)

A low rumble left him as her hand methodically inched lower and lower along his body, tracing his stomach and circling his hip before she finally let it settle heavily on his lower abdomen, just above his member.

"Unless…" Lydia whispered sultrily against his ear, a devious smile on her lips as she made to remove her hand from his body. "You're completely sure a kiss will do?"

Caesar's grip on her lower back tightened, keeping her in place as he released a soft growl of warning. Well, looks like he wanted more after all, huh?

Instead of placing her hand back, Lydia reached further down and grabbed her mate's hardening cock, which had his chest expand with a sharp inhale of surprise and lust.

The look on his face, though, was what did it for Lydia. The hard, thin line of his mouth, the flaring of his nostrils, the way his eyes smouldered once he finally opened them and stared up at her.

Perhaps waking up early wasn't going to end up being a complete bother after all?


Caesar

He took a long while studying the way her dark hair, messy from sleep, seemed to tumble over her shoulders. One wayward strand hung partially in front of her face, and Caesar brushed it away with his thumb as he stared into her deep, blue eyes.

They were half-lidded and shimmering with lustful mischief, the look only amplified by her enticingly full lips hovering above his own, just out his reach.

"Maybe you're right." He admitted just as her hand squeezed him again, making him arch his back ever so slightly. "I think I will need more convincing."

"Mhmm. I figured as much." Lydia agreed with a low hum, and Caesar could practically hear her smirking as she shamelessly fondled him. Her hand would slide up and down his shaft, squeezing playfully, groping roughly and brushing softly as she saw fit, and all he could do in return was grunt and growl, relishing in the feel of her deft hand as it worked him up.

Normally, he wouldn't be this uncharacteristically passive during intimacy, with his hands idly holding on to her as Lydia worked to please him. But he knew this was part of the idea – the joke about her having to make up for calling him old. He hadn't minded really – it was probably true. He had seen his reflection recently and the grey was definitely starting to break through his black coat of fur, there was no denying it.

But if she wanted to make a game out of it, then who was he to refuse her?

Still, Lydia didn't seem to mind his uncharacteristic passiveness. In fact, by the way she bit her lower lip and rubbed her thighs together none too discreetly as she stroked his length, she was taking just as much pleasure in doing this to him as he did being at the receiving end of it.

"Now who's breathing unevenly, Love?" She whispered cheekily, to which Caesar could only respond with a laboured groan as she continued her ministrations for a few minutes more, driving him all the way to the very brink of orgasm before she, frustratingly, drew back her teasing hand.

"Stay still, Caesar – I can still do better." She instructed him in her most seductive voice as she sat up and began removing the top she had slept in – the navy blue one with the pattern on the back… the one that was pretty much see-through at this point.

Caesar exhaled, slow and calculated, as she pulled it over her head with crossed arms, so obviously giving him and eyeful of her rounded breasts as she stretched her arms over her head.

Soft, dark tresses fell wildly around Lydia's shoulders once the top was finally off and tossed aside, and for a moment she simply sat there, on her knees, looking him over with hazy eyes as the light from the fireplace danced across her naked flesh.

Caesar reached out and let the tips of his calloused fingers drag slowly down from her collarbone and through the valley of her breasts, down across the expanse of her midriff before finally meeting with her abdomen. Once there, he hooked his large digits around the waistband of her undergarments and shamelessly tugged them down, purposely brushing against her mound as he did so and earning a soft gasp from her in return.

Before long, Lydia had shimmied out of her last piece of clothing and, to Caesar's surprise, bent down to nuzzle her face against the hard plane of his stomach, slowly easing her way up as she inhaled his scent.

Caesar sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and buried one hand in her dishevelled hair, thoroughly enjoying her undivided attention as she made her way past his ribs, his chest and his collarbone.

"You smell so good." She complimented before capturing his lips in a deep, open-mouthed kiss that stole Caesar's breath away, both of them groaning against the other's lips.

When Lydia pulled back, it was with an expression filled with desire and devious intent, and Caesar knew then that he was in for an exhilarating ride.

Though he had no idea just how accurate a metaphor that truly was…

She mounted him like she would a horse, swinging her long leg across his hips and lowering herself onto him until he was buried to the hilt inside of her heated core. A deep groan left his throat at the sensation and he reached his hands up to lie around her shapely hips as she began moving on top of him.

"I love to feel you inside me." She praised between moans as she stared down at him with hooded, lustful eyes. "You fill me up so well…"

He felt his member twitch and did a sharp intake of breath, doing his damned best to keep himself in check.

Either Lydia was caught up in her own passion and didn't see the strain on his face, or she knew exactly what she was doing to him and took pleasure from his visible, internal struggle. Somehow, Caesar was convinced it was the latter of the two – either way, she kept on with her filthy praise, putting on a show for him for good measure as she reached up to let her hands skim enticingly along her own body.

"That's it, Caesar – oh! I told you I could do better." She said as their eyes connected, and a thrilling shiver ran up the Ape King's spine. "I would do this all day for you. If you would let me -ah! Just lie back and let me have you."

Caesar's chest rose and fell in quick succession as his breath came out in laboured pants. He felt the muscles in his legs tighten as he reciprocated his mate's thrusts. Lydia's pace wasn't hurried or desperate by any means, but thorough and passionate, giving Caesar ample opportunity to admire the way her body moved above him – and pay extra close attention to her wanton talk.

"If you continue to speak like this, I will finish before you…" He grinded out in a strained voice, releasing harsh pants at nearly every second word. Before she had become his mate, Caesar would never have thought mere words could affect him like this. Could heighten his pleasure so much. It was hard enough to hold back without hearing them.

But then again, it was Lydia who spoke them – and knowing she meant it was what made it that much more exquisite for him.

"Maybe I want you to finish." She replied breathlessly. "Maybe I-Ah! Maybe I want to see your face, mmmh, when I make you lose it... When I make you feel so good."

All these filthy words, low and heady and accompanied by the sensual swaying of her body as she moved on top of him, back and forth, up and down, grinding herself against him in a leisurely, steady rhythm that set his soul aflame with want…

Had he been any lesser male, had any less control of himself, Caesar was certain he would have been a desperate, howling mess by now – spent, as Lydia wanted, before he had even been able to try and return the pleasure she was giving him.

"No." He shook his head at her, maintaining eye contact as he stared up at her with equally hooded eyes. "I want to finish with you. Always with you."

His voice was dark with lust and yet, the love and devotion of his words could not be more obvious.

Caesar reached one of his large hands down between them and began rubbing his thumb against her sensitive clit in rhythm with the movements of her hips, splaying his warm hand across her abdomen.

She gasped, her hands reaching down to grab at his arms – more for purchase than to control his movements, he realised.

"Oh, Caesar!" Came her voice, sweet and broken as she rolled her hips into his touch.

His eyes lowered to stare at their joining, the Ape King finding himself strangely fascinated with how his cock so easily slid in and out of her, glistening with the slick of her tight heat. Like the two of them, completely different as they were, had been meant to do this all along. The obscene sight served to stroke Caesar's male ego immensely, and had his loins tighten with impossible need.

"Let me see it, Lydia." He coaxed her hoarsely, pulling her firmly down onto his cock by the firm grasp he had on her hip, while his other hand continued to stroke between her thighs.

The Ape King managed a small, triumphant smile as she moaned in response.

Despite all her efforts to render him a desperate, lustful mess – and nearly succeeding at it – it was Lydia who was now crumbling as she began cresting the peak of her pleasure, eyes closed and lips parted as her body writhed and quaked at his touch.

And then it hit her, washed over her like a flash flood as her hips jerked with urgency against his hand and a loud moan tore from her throat.

Caesar licked his lips at the sight – and feel – of her coming undone on top of him. The way her tight heat almost seemed to try and force his length to stay inside her. How her entire body was pulled taut in pleasure. The rise and fall of her chest as she drew in one ragged breath after another.

And then, as the flood of pleasure began to recede, she looked so vulnerable, almost halfway broken as she moaned and rocked against him to prolong her own bliss.

The movement almost stopped entirely as Lydia's posture slumped above him, her high reduced to all but a tingle now. He watched, arousal still tight in his belly, as she released pant after shaky pant, her pale skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat despite the relatively cool air of the room.

He sat up with Lydia still in his lap – and his cock still comfortably seated inside her core – and took hold of her jaw with both of his hands as he drew her into a heated kiss.

Though he had yet to reach his own peak, Caesar was as breathless as his mate once he finally pulled back – by no more than a fraction of an inch – and gave a low rumble from within his chest as their eyes met.

"Lie back." He spoke against her mouth. "And let me have you."

Though dazed, she still managed to smile at the way he echoed her words from before and complied as he pushed her let her down until she was flat on her back in their nest, with Caesar now being the one on top.

And for a brief moment as she lied there beneath him, hair spread around her face like a soft, dark frame and hands clutching his impatiently at his shoulders, Caesar found himself marvelling – not at her beauty – but at the deep feelings of trust, love and devotion she looked at him with.

The Ape King bent down over her, large and powerful, and placed a tender hand against her cheek as he let his forehead meet her own. With closed eyes, Caesar released a calming exhale as he focused on the way she felt. Soft flesh and smooth skin beneath his palms. Ragged breaths across his face and neck. A tightness as her heat gripped around his length.

Then, he began moving his hips.

The thrusts were gentle at first. Drawn out. Unhurried.

Lydia shivered under him, pushed her head into the nest's soft padding as she bit her lip.

He watched it all with keen eyes, drinking in the effect he had on her. Revelling in it as he slowly began to pick up his pace.

And the feeling of those exquisite, gratifying spikes of pleasure that shot through him with every quickened thrust.

Caesar didn't need to look at her hands to know they were clutching their bedding, nor at her feet to know her toes were curling with pleasure as he ravaged her. He knew Lydia's tells. Had studied them closely ever since they had first mated. By now, he knew when to be slow and soft – and when to be hard and rough.

A deep, reverberating rumble left his chest as she arched her back against him, and her moans of praise only adding to the lustful pyre that roared in his gut.

"Caesar…!" She gasped. Her nails were clawing at the skin beneath his fur and Caesar grunted in reply. "H-harder…"

Ah, there it was. That sweet, broken begging of hers, starkly contrasting her usual independent nature.

He complied instantly, so desperate by now that he didn't care for anymore of their previous teasing and banter.

Instead of locking her legs around him, like she so often did, Lydia only spread her thighs further, opening herself to Caesar and welcoming his hard thrusts with eager moans and whimpers.

The rhythm he had built up to was steady, yet forceful as he grabbed onto one of her thighs with one hand, keeping her in place as his hips jerked forward again and again. His other arm slid around her shoulders as he leaned on it, helping Caesar keep his full weight off her.

Their eyes met, misty from pleasure, with his face was inches above her own, his hard breaths and groans mingling with her pleasured moans.

His release rolled over him like an overflowing river as he felt her convulse around him a second time. It spread from his loins and all the way out to the tips of his fingers and toes, reducing Caesar's relentless pace to nothing more than a small succession of slow, deep ruts as he spilled himself inside her.

Lydia keened against his mouth, the sound ebbing slowly into a series of sweet whimpers and exhausted pants. He kept their mouths connected until he felt her relax around his shaft, and then gently pulled back to stare lovingly down at her face.

(Smut Ends Here)

Lydia looked beautifully wrecked beneath him. Out of breath and completely sated as she stared back up into his eyes.

"I love you." Caesar breathed, reaching up to cup her face in his large hand.

She nuzzled into his palm, briefly closing her eyes in contentment at the contact as her breath slowed.

"I love you too."

It came out as the softest of whispers, but Caesar heard it well enough in the silence of early morning, as the sun's first, golden rays cast a beautiful light across them both through the narrow gap between the hide curtains.

Calm prevailed for a long while after that as their breathing slowly evened out. Then, out of nowhere and with a laboured grunt, the Ape King gracelessly rolled over onto his back, with Lydia yelping in surprise as he pulled her with him to lie on top of him.

She shot him an unimpressed look, as if to ask him what the hell that was even for, though once Caesar had laid his arms around her, it was replaced by an almost indulgent-looking smirk.

"I thought you said you wanted to finish with me." She spoke up, still dazed, but with a slender, dark brow now quirked up at him. "I finished twice."

A subtle, warm smile found its way across his rough lips. Trust Lydia to take notice of such a thing and hold it against him.

The Ape King chuckled at his mate.

"But it ended with both of us." He pointed out as he pulled her further onto his chest, reaching down to her thigh wrapped around his hip. "You have more… 'arrows in your quiver' than I do."

She couldn't contain the sudden bout of laughter then, and Caesar felt his lips stretch into a smug grin at the sound. He knew it was rare that he made attempts at being humorous, but he liked to think that he was quite skilled at it when he actually put his mind to it.

Seemingly, Lydia thought so as well.

A satisfied sound, something akin to a purr, reached Caesar's ears then, and he cracked an eye open to look down at his mate, still draped over his body.

"How about we stay in bed a bit longer?" She suggested, nuzzling into the thick fur on his chest. "Your Majesty."

With a deep, exhausted chuckle, Caesar reached for the pelt Lydia usually slept with and covered them both with it as best he could without moving around too much.

"Let us do that." He replied, only for a roguish smirk to appear on his face, unbeknownst to Lydia. "My Queen."

His gravelly laugh filled the air as she gave a playful, yet slightly irate smack to his arm, his only means of retaliation being the tightening of his embrace.


Ivy

With her eyes still closed, Ivy felt more than heard Orion crawl back into the nest, having left to tend to the small fire they had kept burning through the night to keep the hut warm and pleasant. The soft bedding dipped beside her under his weight, and Ivy shivered involuntarily as he pulled the large bearskin aside to join her underneath it.

"Sorry." He said softly, scooting up and embracing her from behind. "I did not mean to wake you."

His words were accompanied by a gentle kiss to the shell of her ear, and Ivy found herself shivering again – this time for an entirely different reason.

"It is okay. I was awake already." She admitted, though she knew her voice must have betrayed her words, sounding groggy and thick with sleep. Truly, it was way too early for either of them to not be sleeping, in her opinion.

And sure enough, a disbelieving huff sounded behind her, the rush of air tickling the fur around her ear.

"Why do I not believe that?" He said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Ivy could easily picture the smirk playing on his lips, as well as feel his eyes studying her as he shifted onto his elbow to lean over her form.

The arm he had wrapped around her midsection when first getting back into the nest now moved backwards and his fingers began tracing her flank ever so gently, the threat of a tickle just beneath the surface.

The act alone made her giggle softly and crack open an eye to give him a sideways glance.

"Would I lie to you?" She asked, as innocently as she could manage, knowing he couldn't resist the look in her emerald green eyes as their fire's light reflected in them.

He shrugged behind her.

"Maybe to make me feel better?" Orion suggested in return, heavy brow raised at her. "For waking you up?"

Now it was Ivy's turn to huff in disbelief, turning her head fully to catch Orion's gaze with a deadpan stare of her own.

"I have other ways to do that." She spoke bluntly before catching him off-guard with a sudden, passionate kiss.

The smug smile she saw on his face as she pulled back told Ivy that, despite his initial surprise at her move, it was exactly what he had wanted to achieve all along.

"You do." He agreed with a warm, almost heady look in his eyes which made Ivy's spine tingle.

At this point, turning her head over her shoulder was beginning to hurt her neck, and so Ivy moved to lie on her back instead, a hand resting daintily against his chest as Orion went about running his muzzle down the side of her face in a teasing manner. Meanwhile, his free hand travelled down her side, dragging, hot and heavy until it reached her hip, where he proceeded to squeeze and hold her in place.

Oh, if others knew how endearingly mischievous – even downright naughty – he could be sometimes… How he, with a few spoken words or even a simple look, could play her exactly how he wanted, sometimes without either of them even realising it.

Then again, Ivy wasn't sure she would even want anyone else to know after all. She quite enjoyed having this side of him all to herself.

But this morning, before anything along those lines would be taking place, Ivy had something she wanted to share. Something that had happened. Something she had kept from him, and which had been sitting there, at the tip of her tongue, ready to burst out, ever since.

Here goes nothing…

"Can I tell you something?" Ivy spoke, her sentence cut short by a sigh as he nipped at her neck. "It's a secret."

"Of course." He replied lowly – distractedly – as he drew a slow breath, taking in her scent.

Chuckling, she let the hand on his chest trail up to settle at his jaw and raised her head so that her cheek rested against his own. Closing her eyes in preparation, Ivy let excitement fill her heart as she told him her secret – one she had held on to, waiting for a moment just like this one, private and intimate, to tell only to her mate.

And at this rate, she had to tell him now before she was completely lost in his touch.

"I am with child." She whispered against his ear, simple, soft and light.

It was like the air itself stilled inside their hut as she spoke those words, the sound of the crackling fire and the early birds' chirping outside seemingly vanishing in an instant.

Orion's soothing hand immediately halted its venture along her hip, and he pulled his head back to stare down at her with wide, green eyes full of surprise.

"You… You are what?" He asked, clearly dumbfounded and Ivy resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. It was not a state Orion was found in very often and had the moment not been such an intimate, vulnerable one, she might have given him grief for it.

Instead, with a patient smile, she took gentle hold of the hand still resting on her hip. Orion followed the move as she then moved it to lie flatly against her stomach, keeping it there even after his gaze had returned to her face.

The stare she regarded him with left no room for interpretation.

"With child, Orion." She repeated and squeezed his hand for good measure. "Our child."

Comprehension came slowly to him, though when it finally did, the smile that stretched across his face, the spark that lit up his eyes, made Ivy's heart ache with fondness and joy.

"You mean it?" He asked, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his tone, so gentle and hopeful as his gaze once again went down to the hand on top of her belly, which he caressed with something close to reverence now.

"Would I lie to you?" She asked for the second time that morning and kissed the crown of his head. She doubted she could make him look up at her at the moment, what with his fond stare so utterly transfixed on her midsection – it was a wonder he was even able to answer her, really.

"How long?" Came his voice, nothing more than a soft whisper, and Ivy shook her head, though she doubted he actually saw it.

"Not too long yet. I visited Sparrow two days ago, remember that morning I felt unwell?"

Finally looking up at her, slight concern marring his face as he remembered, Orion nodded.

"She said it is still very new." Ivy continued, reaching up to cup his cheek. "That we will be parents by summer."

That little piece of information, spoken not as a possibility, but as a fact, seemed to knock the breath out of Orion's lungs, forcing him to release a breathless gasp of elation.

"Ivy…"

Suddenly, he was looming over her, one arm cradling her around the shoulders and the other reaching up cup her cheek in his large hand as he drew her into a passionate lip-lock. She was helpless to resist – not that she would have ever wanted to – and melted beneath him.

She hadn't feared telling him at all. They had discussed the topic plenty of times and she knew he would be overjoyed at such news – but she truly hadn't expected this, such a pure, undiluted happiness and the absolute passion it had brought with it. Passion Orion was currently expressing through deep kisses and tender caresses.

Their intimate celebration didn't last long though, as the quiet atmosphere of early morning was suddenly pierced by a loud, excited-sounding voice.

"Brother!" It came from beyond the entrance to their home, soon followed by a series of hurried steps and an urgent series of knocks on their wooden door. "Brother! Are you awake?"

Before either of the two could think to answer, much less untangle from each other's embrace, the door was pushed open to reveal none other than Cornelius.

Still cradled in Orion's loving embrace, Ivy could do nothing more than shake her head at their predicament. Of course it was Cornelius. Who other than the young Ape Prince would come knocking at their door before the sun had even risen, yelling 'brother' at the top of his lungs?

She just hoped their neighbours hadn't been disturbed too much – not to mention the rest of the village. After all, the sun was barely peeking past the horizon.

The Ape Prince stopped in the doorway and stared at the two adults, nose wrinkled at the sight. Ivy couldn't quite tell if the expression was from confusion, childlike disgust or simply exasperation – maybe a mix of all three?

"You two are worse than Mother and Father." He stated matter-of-factly, rolling his green eyes.

Yep, definitely all three, Ivy thought amusedly. Well… It was a rather compromising position he had found them in – and no doubt would they have taken it further, had he not barged in when he did.

"Are you done?" Cornelius spoke impatiently, still standing at the door with one hand on the handle. "You promised we would go fish today, remember? Don't say you forgot."

Above her, Orion wore an expression of equal parts exasperation and mortification before he closed his eyes to compose himself and sighed at his younger brother.

"I did, actually." He said truthfully, making Cornelius shoot him a disapproving pout that only a five-year-old ape could muster. "But I am coming now. I keep my promises, do not worry."

The Ape Prince's expression brightened instantly as Orion got up and made to leave the nest, leaving Ivy to stare fondly at the two from underneath the warmth and comfort of the bearskin.

"Oh, and Mother told to say hello from her." The Ape Prince added, more as an afterthought than anything else before darting back out the door, Orion making to follow him, albeit at a slower pace, before Ivy reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Speaking of your mother." She spoke lowly, so that Cornelius wouldn't accidentally hear. "Please do not tell anyone yet. I want to tell our family together… And see their faces."

It wasn't like she thought that Orion would deliberately just run off and tell everyone before Ivy had a chance to, but it didn't hurt to tell him, she figured. His reaction to her telling him the news had been precious to Ivy and now, all that was left was to tell the rest of their family – Mother, Father, Lydia, Caesar, Cornelius and everyone else – and she wanted to be there for it.

"Of course." He agreed with a soft look in his eyes, nodding. "I promise."

"Good. Just do not forget that you did." Ivy replied teasingly and winked at her mate before settling back against the softness of their nest. "Now, go have fun with your brother."