19 Nov 2017: A big thank you to dragon of winter nights for the read through. I know it has been over a month since the last chapter was posted. I have been writing. Some of which are a few stories that have been posted over here and some that have only been posted over on AO3. One of which is a prequel to this story called Enchanted. I really had fun writing that one. I plan to write another one from Clef's point-of-veiw.

I have also now been working on this story for NaNoWriMo this month. Which means I am attenpting to write 50,00 new words for it. A lot of what I have written so far is scenes for later chapters, but I did finish this one and I am getting close to finishing the next one.

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Content Note: This chapter has been edited for content. If you would like to read the full version with more detail about the location of hands and more swearing, you will want to read the version on AO3. Otherwise, you can just use your imagination about some things.

Chapter 6
In which Ferio and Caldina try to separate them (for their own good, of course)

Clef slowed his hand, ignoring the faint ache in his wrist in favour of the way Umi was still shuddering against him, breath coming in hot, ragged gasps against his neck. One of her arms was bracing her on the wall behind him, the other was tangled in his hair, his scalp tingling slightly from the pressure as well as the power in her touch. His coronet had fallen off some time ago, bouncing off the cushion and clattering across the floor as he pressed into the caress.

"I have half a mind to suggest we go home," he whispered, drawing his hand back.

She shifted against him, and he could hear the grin in her voice better than he could see it. "Aren't you supposed to be pandering to the politicians, or something like that?"

"I've made my appearance." Clef pressed a soft kiss to her neck. "Ouran knows I was here." With a breathless laugh, Umi's hand slid down the bare skin of his chest and down between them to tug at the catches on his trousers. Clef stilled her with his hand over hers. "Umi - "

"I told you, I've taken something."

"But I haven't." With his clean hand, he cupped her cheek and looked at her. As much as he was enjoying this, he didn't want her to regret it. "The potion I should be taking is more reliable."

"It's fine, Clef. I can handle the consequences." She punctuated each sentence with the click of an unfastened clasp.

He failed to articulate a single word of argument as she reached inside his clothing. When she shifted closer and scraped her teeth across his neck, he nearly came undone there and then. Which would have solved the potions issue, at least.

A few minutes longer and he probably would have, but he didn't get nearly long enough to enjoy Umi's touch. Clef hadn't given much thought to the fact he'd been able to hear the quiet drift of music since his coronet had slid across the floor, and he was only distantly aware of the heavy footsteps and muttering coming closer along the corridor.

Then Ferio's voice hissed through the curtains, and both of them snapped to attention; "I don't know what you two are doing in there, but I'm pretty sure it's a bad idea."

"Go away, Ferio!" Umi growled.

"I'm not letting you two ruin your reputation, Clef." Ferio snapped. The drapery swayed slightly as he caught hold of it. "You'd better make yourselves decent, I'm coming in on the count of ten."

Umi threw a hateful look over her shoulder when he started counting, before she adjusted her underwear and crawled off his lap, her dress falling back over her legs with barely a crease. Leaning back against the side-wall, she crossed her arms and glowered at the curtains.

Clef grumpily attempted to do up his trousers again, which involved standing up and rearranging things that were not quite willing to be told where to go. He'd barely done up half the fastenings when the curtain was yanked aside for a moment and Ferio stormed in, with Clef's coronet in his hand.

"If you two are going to sneak off to have sex, you could at least try being a little more subtle. Like not breaking the silencing charms with that!" Ferio threw the headdress at Clef, hitting him hard in the stomach. It bounced onto the bench, and Clef ignored it in favour of getting his clothing done up, trying not to flush guiltily.

From outside, Caldina's voice joined in. "Are they dressed yet? I refuse to look at anyone's bits."

"Just about," Ferio reported, as Clef managed to get the last clasp done up again. Caldina slipped in too, glaring at Clef as he summoned a handkerchief to wipe his hand off. The space wasn't large enough for four people unless they really liked each other - and this was not that kind of situation.

"Really?" Caldina asked Umi, who stuck her tongue out.

Ferio rolled his eyes, and turned back to Clef. "Now get yourself together, Guru, because you're coming back out to talk to people, like you're supposed to be doing."

"Can you just give me a moment," Clef snapped, narrowing his eyes. He was in no fit state to be seen.

Ferio bit out a sharp "fine."

"But you, missy, are coming with me," Caldina grabbed hold of Umi's arm and tugging her toward the curtain. "Come on."

"Hey!" Umi tried to shake her off.

Clef stopped fighting with his clothing and caught hold of Caldina, who stared him down.

"Stop it. Neither of you are thinking with your heads," Ferio declared. "What you both need is some time apart, to cool off."

Umi shook her head at Clef, and he dropped Caldina's arm. His irritation was quickly winding into fury when Caldina escorted Umi out of the alcove and he heard them heading off down the corridor, Umi grouching all the way.

Ferio tugged the drapes shut properly, so they could talk without being overheard. "You're supposed to be being sociable," he said. "You know, reminding people that you're a person who deserves proper consideration, not an automaton - getting their support so you can actually go ahead and change those laws? You do remember there are still two to go, right?"

Clef shrugged, dropping back down onto the seat. It wasn't like he was ever all that sociable at these things. "I didn't go read a book."

"That would have been better!" Ferio snapped. "What do you think this looks like?

"It's not illegal." Clef leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. He could still feel Umi's fingers in his hair, and the taste of her skin lingered on his tongue. When they got back to the house, all she needed to do was ask and he would be hers for the night, no arguments left.

While that thought quelled his anger, it did nothing to ease his discomfort.

Ferio was unimpressed. "Yes, it is! You're now allowed to have meaningless sex. You could go upstairs and sleep with Ouran, and no one would even care, but Umi…" Ferio sighed. "Clef, everyone - and I do mean everyone - knows you're attached to her. You're too infatuated for this to be any sort of insignificant fling, and you know it."

"Just as you know it's a bad law, Ferio." Clef said, opening his eyes. He'd been breaking it for so long... You couldn't control someone's heart, and he'd been in love with Umi for - an unwise amount of time. "No one has ever taken it to court and upheld it. They wouldn't be able to, it's a bad law."

"Are you wanting to give them reason to try?" Ferio waved his hands in frustration. "Spirits, Clef! You realise that I'm on the Council, I should probably be bringing you up on charges, rather than bickering about this with you. You know Cephiro can't handle the expense of that kind litigation right now. Do you have any idea what having one of our leaders - because like it or not, that's what you, Verna, and Torneo are - brought in front of the Judges on charges of treason would do to our international standing? Especially when we're trying to establish good relations with our neighbours after cutting ourselves off for millennia!"

"I don't know, it might look even worse to them that all I did was fall in love with someone and you prosecuted me for it."

"Which is why we're changing the laws!" Ferio pressed his palms to his temples as he hissed in a breath. "Can't you just wait five more months? Just long enough that you can legally be in a relationship with her, for Cephiro's sake. And for yours." He turned a pleading look on Clef. "Seriously, some of these people could make life exceptionally hard for you if they think you're - flouting the rules right in front of them."

He scrubbed a hand back through his hair. "I've waited, Ferio."

"Oh yes, a whole, what, four months."

"Ten months," Clef muttered. It had been at least that long since he realised he ought to start doing something about those stupid laws. Six since she'd kissed him and made him realise he needed to be speeding up the process, because Umi wasn't the most patient person he'd ever known. (And she was getting very good at making him forget his own resolve to wait, as she'd proved last night. And again not half an hour ago.)

"Wow, ten whole months." Ferio looked less than impressed by this. "How old are you? Thirty?"

Clef rolled his eyes again. Though he couldn't argue that he wasn't behaving a bit like an impatient child himself.

"What happened to 'They're too young' or 'They're still children despite what they look like', huh?" Ferio demanded. "I mean, how many times have you told me that?"

"Who said I was telling you off? Did it ever occur to you I was talking to myself as much as to you? That maybe I started noticing her after I looked like this?" Clef groaned inwardly. It wasn't even close to a respectable excuse. He'd been more than a little ashamed with himself for finding someone so young so alluring, but putting space between them hadn't helped - he'd tried!

It especially didn't work when Umi had realised why he was avoiding her and decided to do something about it.

"That doesn't change the fact she's still only seventeen years old!"

"She's perfectly capable of making her own decisions!" Clef stood up and swept past Ferio. "And I am finished with this conversation."

.*.*.*.

Just because Umi felt like a naughty child being led away from mischief, didn't mean she had to act like one, and yet that was exactly what she was doing. She dropped into the first empty chair at the table Caldina led her to, still sulking.

"Umi?" Ascot looked over at her in surprise from a couple of chairs along.

"Hi, Ascot." Umi sighed. She was still wound up and practically aching, and Ascot was not the person she needed right then. Especially since he'd admitted recently he really wasn't interested in doing that kind of thing with anyone. (Apart from hugs. And he was really good at hugs, but that wasn't what she was interested in, and he wasn't who she was interested in, and she really wanted to throw something at Caldina.)

"I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Well, I came with Clef, but Ferio's-" she glared at Caldina "-taken him away."

Caldina waved a graceful hand through the air, magic spilling from it - some form of privacy shield, Umi guessed. The smooth motion of her hand was completely at odds with the jagged frown on her face. "Missy, I don't know what that dirty old man said to get you back there, but I promise you he didn't have good intentions."

"Who said he was the one with intentions," Umi said, muttering a swift 'Thank you' to Ascot for the drink he snagged from a passing waiter and handed her, moving across to the chair beside hers. "And it seemed pretty good to me."

"Oh, Umi. No." Caldina shook her head. "You didn't actually - "

"Well, we certainly weren't talking back there." Umi snapped. She was too frustrated to be properly embarrassed, despite Ascot squeaking slightly and turning pink beside her.

"He's so - so - old!" Caldina waved her hands.

"So? Dirty old men need love too!"

"Umi, he's too old for you!" Caldina wailed, though it didn't seem all that loud over the din of the music. "He's practically dead!"

"Actually," Ascot said, setting down his drink. "It's not unusual for someone of the Guru's will-power to make it close to 1500 years old. So, he's probably not even middle-aged yet."

Caldina snapped around to glare at him. "That's not helping, Ascot!"

"Isn't it?" Ascot shrugged, unworried. "I just don't see what the problem is."

"He's just - "

"Is this about Umi, or is this still about the Guru dragging out the last Council meeting?" Ascot asked, before leaning over to Umi and lowering his voice. "LaFarga's on nightshift this fortnight." He turned back to Caldina. "That was two days ago, anyway. I know LaFarga's been busy, but he's not been that busy."

"Well, that old geezer shouldn't have been so worried about getting his little rod wet that he kept everyone there for an extra five hours!"

"Hey!" Umi slammed her glass down. "That is not - "

Caldina cut her off with a declaration of "He'll die, and you'll get nothing, you know!"

"I don't want his money!" Umi pushing her chair back from the table. She'd had quite enough of this. "I don't know what you have against Clef, but it's your problem, not mine."

"You're staying right here, Missy!" Caldina was on her feet, grabbing hold of Umi's arm before she'd had a chance to even take a step away from the table. "This ain't a game, you know, going around on his arm wearing things like that. It looks like he bought you. Like he's paid you for your company tonight. That you're the pretty, young thing he's decided to end his celibacy with."

"It was a gift," Umi growled. How dare she insinuate Clef would have expectations like that. "And what's wrong with him liking me when you know perfectly well that I like him?"

"Umi, just because he bought you pretty things, doesn't mean you have to sleep with him." The concern in Caldina's voice was infuriating. What kind of man did she think Clef was?

"Did it ever occur to you that I might want to sleep with him? It's taken me six months to get this far, and then you and Ferio go and interrupt just as I was about to get him right where I want him!" Umi shrugged Caldina's hand off her, but Ascot was on his feet stopping her from walking away just yet.

"I don't see why they can't be together if they want to." Ascot looked pointedly at Caldina while guiding Umi back into her chair. His tone softened when he sat down beside her. "But Umi, Caldina is right, though. You can't be together-together right now. He's not allowed. Not yet, at least."

"It's not like sex is going to change what we are already." Umi sighed. What they were was all sorts of complicated.

Caldina set a glass down in front of her like a peace offering. "Then maybe it makes more sense to wait?"

Umi took a sip; it lay sharp on her tongue and warm in her throat. She coughed as she pulled the glass away from her lips in surprise. "What is this?"

Caldina had just given her alcohol!

"If you're old enough to sleep with the Guru, you're old enough to drink."

.*.*.*.

Clef had only gotten so far as the washroom to clean his hands (a handkerchief could only do so much) before Ferio caught up with him.

"Now are you going to get any work done or do I need-"

"I have been working!" Clef declared as he stomped back out into the corridor - not at all like a child on the brink of a tantrum, of course. "Just because Umi and I were having a private conversation doesn't mean I haven't been speaking to anyone else."

"Oh yes, private conversations always involve undoing your trousers."

"Maybe you just haven't had the right kind of conversations." Clef kept walking and looking into all the rooms he passed, as he tried to spot Caldina, and therefore find Umi.

He had just seen the bright flash of Caldina's hair before catching sight of Umi sat with Ascot in the first dining room. Shrugging off Ferio, Clef went to join her, but was stopped by two other council members.

"Ah! Guru, there you are!" Dokker, the Warden for Dacia which bordered Mazda to the north, appeared at his elbow, followed closely by Stanza, Warden of Datsun.

"We were just discussing the appointments for Honda and Eunos," Stanza added. "Could we get your opinion, too?"

Between them and Ferio's anxious hovering, Clef found himself being guided into the second dining room. He sighed. It was only one meal, he'd see her when he was finished. It couldn't take more than an hour. She wouldn't be going home that evening or the following day, so he shouldn't allow himself to get too agitated about it.

"What about the appointments?" Clef sat down and reached for the jug of fruit juice on the table. "If it's about my nomination, I put Vezel up weeks ago."

Technically, he'd only put Vezel up for Eunos; since he was also a warden, nominating someone for the ward neighbouring his could be seen as exerting undue influence But with both Eunos and Honda pulling together at about the same time, all the current nominations were being considered for both regions by the committee. The best fit for the ward would be the one chosen. Or rather, the one the region chose.

"She's not passed her exams yet," Stanza pointed out, voice full of concern. "From the last reports, there's not much time left, and I heard there aren't too many reasonable candidates being put forward."

"They're holding the exams this week," Clef said. He'd had the same argument from the rest of the guild when he'd put Vezel forward. She was strong, and skilled - she was one of the mages who had volunteered to help him hold together the castle after Emeraude's death, though she'd had very little training at the time. Holding a ward wasn't far different. With experience like that, her formal qualifications didn't worry him very much. "If for some very unlikely reason she doesn't pass them, there have been a few good nominations from the Guild. It's out of my hands now."

Dokker took a bite of the piece of pawasute he was holding and said, "I hear Sandero put Yanmar forward."

Clef shrugged. It wasn't his problem. He didn't care. Well, he did care about who got it, but not in the same way they did - which was more about how they would vote in Council than anything else. He'd skimmed the list, and approved of the choices as far as it came to ability to hold a Ward. Yes, there were some people he thought better suited for the roles, but he wasn't opposed to anyone in particular.

He let them carry on speculating while he ate, only joining the conversation when anyone asked him a question directly. Even then, Ferio kept having to jab him with an elbow. His mind wasn't on the room he was in.

Toward the end of the meal, talk shifted to some of the academy discussions. Stanza raised an eyebrow at Clef when his head came up at that. "Yeah, Livina said that - what's her name? Oh, you know, the Knight of Water. Oomeh?"

"Umi," Clef corrected. "Her name is Ryuuzaki Umi."

"Oh yeah, I heard you brought her with you." Stanza grinned at him. "I hadn't realise how pretty she was before this evening. The rumours make more sense now."

Dokker hummed in agreement around a mouthful of food. Clef didn't dare ask what the rumours even were, but he was pretty sure Ferio would tell him later. They went on to talk about the whole floodplain issue yet again.

Clef set down his cup and pushed his chair away from the table. He was more than finished explaining weather phenomena and water run off. He was even more done with being sociable with people who were more work colleagues than friends. "Good evening, everyone. I'll see you next week."

Stanza and Dokker happily waved him off, calling for him to 'have fun!'. He was glad he couldn't see Ferio's expression at that particular send-off.

.*.*.*.

Umi was nursing her drink more slowly this time. It tasted so nice, she didn't want to finish it immediately like she had the last couple. It was light and fruity and had bubbles that tickled her nose, so very much nicer than whatever it was that Caldina had given her at first. She'd finished that one and was on her second glass of this. Or was it her third glass?

It went nicely with the end of her meal. She set down the drink and nibbled on a bit of pastry as she watched couples dancing in the other room, moving in time with the music.

"Ascot could take you out on the floor, if you want," Caldina suggested. "Right, Ascot?"

Ascot's eyes went so wide and startled at that offer that Umi couldn't help but laugh. He'd get flustered enough when Caldina dragged him to the dance practice sessions, Umi couldn't imagine how he'd be actually dancing in public. "That's okay. I'll get Clef to dance again before we leave."

She picked up her drink and started sipping it again, still swaying with the melody as she watched the door for Clef. He was bound to escape Ferio soon. Almost everyone around them had finished eating, so unless he had gotten into some debate about some work thing, he would be through looking for her at any moment, she was sure of it. Because if she was still wanting him this badly, he had to be feeling something too.

"I still don't know what you even see in that guy," Caldina complained.

Umi could have argued that Clef was trustworthy and honest, and all manner of his better qualities, but none of that came to mind first. "Have you seen how hot he is?"

"I hate myself for saying this, but attractiveness is not a basis for a long-lasting relationship."

"But I can't be in a relationship with him, remember?" Umi finished her drink and set down the glass. "So it doesn't matter if the basis is long-lasting or not, does it. I want him, and I'm going to have him. I don't care whether or not you think it's a good idea."

"Umi, no." Caldina pleaded, and looked over at Ascot. "Help me out here."

"You know I agree with Umi." He smiled, a light blush colouring his cheeks. "The Guru is really attractive."

"Not you too! Next thing I know, you'll be telling me that you're gonna be spending the night with him."

Umi started giggling. "You'd have to share. And what would you do with him, anyway?"

"I don't know," Ascot just shrugged. "He might like hugs."

Dissolving into a proper fit of giggles at the thought of Ascot hugging Clef all night long - not that Clef didn't seem to need a good embrace or two - Umi didn't even hear the rustle of robes or the footsteps approaching the table before Clef was behind her, his voice making her jump in surprise.

"I do, actually," Clef said. "Like hugs, I mean."

Ascot squeaked beside her. She could see his ears going pink out of the corner of her eyes.

Clef rested his hands lightly on Umi's shoulders, and she tilted her head back to look up at him, only to find herself staring at the sharp lines of his face and wondering how he could look so beautiful. "You're so pretty. Did you know that?"

Clef let out a heavy sigh. "Are you drunk?"

"No." Umi pressed her hands to her cheeks. They were really hot, and the room was a little… dizzying. "Maybe?" She squinted at her glass and the little bit of pink the bottom of it. How many had she had? It couldn't have been that many. "Probably only a little."

"If you hang around a little while longer," Caldina laughed, "we'll help you get her back to the castle."

"What, so you can get her even more wasted?" Clef groused.

"But I don't want to go back to the castle." Umi pulled a face at Caldina. It wasn't that she disliked her room there, it was just the last place she wanted to be.

"Well, you ain't going back to Tokyo tonight."

"No. I'm going back to Clef's house." She turned to look back up at Clef. He was just so gorgeous, she stared at the line of his jaw. She wanted to run her tongue along it, and bite his ear when she reached the end. He was supposed to be taking her back with him and they were going to pick up where they left off a few hours ago. "I'm still going home with you, right?" Home with Clef to his house. It was a nice house. She liked it, even though she still hadn't seen much of it. "You still owe me a tour. I haven't seen much beyond our bedrooms, you know."

She wanted to see more of his bedroom. Well, more of him really. She'd touched him, but she hadn't really seen him. Soon. They'd be back soon. Then she could touch him again.

More importantly, he could touch her.

.*.*.*.

Clef hissed in a breath as two stares turned on him. Now they thought he'd gone and ignored the waiting period completely. Fantastic. "You have seen more than just your bedroom, Umi. You've seen the grounds, the kitchen and little dining room."

"Oh! There's also the ballroom that you've filled with books!" Umi happily added. "It would be a nice ballroom, if it didn't have all the books everywhere."

Ascot snorted a laugh at that, flushing harder.

"My study - " Clef started, not sure where he was going with that, and then regretting mentioning it as Umi's mind leapt exactly where his had gone the moment he uttered the words - Umi sat across his lap, dress around her waist, leaning into his touch like it was all she wanted in this world.

"That settee's really comfy!" Umi grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I've seen Aveo's office too, you know, when she gave me the potions." She turned to Caldina and laughed. "I told you I'd be safe. I've had potions."

Yeah, that was helping the whole not letting it look like they'd slept together sooner than they should have thing.

"Well, a potion, not more than one," Umi unhelpfully continued. "Just the first dose."

Caldina blinked at that and looked from Umi to Clef then back to Umi. "How long are you supposed to be staying at this geezer's house, then?"

"Oh, just the week, then I have to go home." She pulled another face. "I've got school next week, and I haven't even finished my summer homework yet."

"Come on, Umi" Clef tugged her out of the chair. "It's time I got you to bed."

"I like the sound of that," Umi purred, leaning into his side and wetting her lips. "Yours or mine?"

"To sleep!" he snapped, pulling her with him toward the front of the house, while she made a loud sound of disappointment.

Caldina was on his heels moments later. "Where do you think you're taking her?"

"We've already had this conversation. I'm taking her home with me, so she can sleep off whatever it is that you've given her."

"I don't think - "

"Don't even try me, Caldina." He dropped Umi's hand and whirled around. "I left with her, and I am going back with her." He took in a long deep breath before quietly finishing. "If I don't return with her, my household will be rather upset with me, as they're expecting her company for a few more days yet."

"Your - household?" Caldina blinked at him. "You've introduced Umi to your household?"

"Of course I have! She's my guest. Honestly, what sort of person do you think I am?" Clef flailed at her. "I'm not keeping her in a bedroom!"

"It sure sounded like you were!"

"We haven't even - look, if you're so concerned about what I may or may not be doing with Umi, you're welcome to come with us. I have plenty of guest rooms."

"I'm not coming home with you!" Caldina a pulled a face. "LaFarga's off shift in - "

They both turned when Ascot rushed past them calling, "Umi! No!"

In the short amount of time Clef had been arguing with Caldina, Umi had wandered out the front door and down the steps to the fountain in the courtyard. Not just to admire it either. Ascot was trying to coax her away from the water that she was pulling into the air and swirling around the ornament that hung above the surface of the top-most pool of water.

"This is your fault," Clef muttered to Caldina as he stalked down the steps.

He could see the spell wavering and cracking about the edges, so he tried to throw a shield about Umi before it collapsed, but he was too late. The water sprayed out in every direction, drenching Umi and Ascot completely. Umi promptly cracked up, dancing in circles, and if that dress was distracting before, that was nothing compared to the way those thin layers clung to her skin then.

Clef swept across the path, tugged off his outer robe and threw it around Umi's shoulders.

"As I said, I'm taking her home!" With an arm wrapped around her waist, Clef pulled Umi out through the gate and spun them away through the air.

.*.*.*.

Mazda was quiet and still as they arrived. Umi wouldn't stop giggling while he led her into the house. She leaned against Clef's arm, burying her face in his shoulder to stifle herself when he shushed her, mindful of the people asleep upstairs. She had both hands pressed to her mouth when they reached the top of the stairs and burst out laughing the moment he closed her bedroom door behind them.

"It just went whoosh!" She threw her arms out and cackled more.

"Yes. Yes, it did," Clef agreed, guiding her to the chair of her dressing table.

Once she was sat down, he picked up the jug and took it into the en-suite for water, returning to the room with it and a towel. When he came back, Umi was happily tugging water out of her dress and making it dance across the surface of the dressing table, his robe already shrugged off over the chair. When she caught sight of the water jug in the mirror, her eyes lit up and Clef cursed internally.

Still, she ought to drink some water before she went to sleep.

Clef cast a shield over the jug when Umi started trying to grab hold of the water before he'd made it across the room. "You can play with that water, after you drink this," he said, with a nod at the gleaming ball hovering above her hand. She seemed to be holding it better than the entire fountain had gone, but he still watched warily as he poured a glass and handed it to her.

Umi stared into the glass concentrating on it and he put his hand over the top before it could slosh over the side.

"Drink it. Don't play with it."

"You're no fun," Umi complained, but obediently drank when he let go.

While Umi was drinking her glass of water, the ball still spinning carelessly over her free hand, Clef gently started to dry off her neck with the towel. Umi left out a soft sigh and arched her back as he did so. Clef concentrated on drying her off, and tried his best to ignore any other thoughts that might be trying to creep in as she moved under his touch.

Her hair was very damp and still pinned to the top of her head. It would probably be best to get that down and dried off before he put her to bed. Draping the towel over her shoulders, he unfastened the first clasp.

Umi set down her glass and splashed her ball of water into it then reached up to help, but just kept fumbling with each clasp he was working on making it all but impossible to unfasten any of them. He had to keep brushing her hands away to make any progress. Despite that, she reached up and took hold of his wrist. Turning, she tugged him down to her.

Clef let her kiss him once quickly on the lips then he kissed her gently on the forehead and turned her back around. "Let me finish."

"But I want to kiss you."

"Later." He pulled another clip out and let the coil of hair drop loose over her shoulder. "We need to get your hair down and dry before you sleep."

"I can kiss you with it up. I have. I've done more than kiss you with it up like this."

"I know you have. I was there, remember?"

Umi hummed happily in agreement. "You were. It was nice. You're nice."

Clef sighed. "You're drunk."

"Only a little bit." She made a pinching motion with her fingers, then looked up at his reflection in her dressing table mirror. "I really like you, Clef." She paused - perhaps to think it over - before leaning back to look up at him properly. "You know, you're not as grumpy as you say you are."

Clef smiled fondly at her, stroking her cheek. "No, I'm worse."

A brilliant smile curled across her mouth. Her eyes sparkled and then she giggled up at him, and he couldn't help but laugh.

Kissing her forehead again, he tilted her head back down so he could pull the last two clasps out. "Let me finish so we can get you changed for bed. You don't want to sleep in that dress."

When he reached for the comb, she clumsily grabbed hold of his robes and tugged him back down so she could catch his mouth with hers. He managed to pull away after a brief distracted moment and began to work his way through her hair, smoothing out any tangles and trying his best to ignore the way Umi sighed with pleasure at each stroke.

After running his fingers through her hair with a warm drying spell, he braided her hair back into a plait and tied it off with a small length of ribbon, before going to find her something to sleep in. When he asked where to find her nightclothes, all he got was a vaguely waved hand and "the drawer," as his answers.

There were multiple drawers, and it took a few tries to find the right one. When he did, there was a little tink of glass as a bottle rolled along the bottom. He sighed. That was not how you store potions; they ought to remain upright. He picked up phial and reached over to set it on the dressing table.

Clef's fingers had just closed over the first nightgown when he heard the soft flutter and clink of fabric and jewellery hitting the floor. When he turned around, Umi was standing in front of him wearing nothing but the underwear she was struggling to wriggle out of. She managed to get it past her knees but failed to get it any further as she kept nearly falling over anytime she lifted her foot.

"I think that can stay on," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder to steady her while carefully looking at anything but her.

"No, it's all wet." Umi complained. "And not even in a good way anymore."

Mentally cursing Caldina and Ferio, and himself for good measure, Clef retrieved the towel and wrapped it around her, helping dry her off by rubbing over the fabric in spite of her attempts to worm out of it. And as soon as he let go to pick up the nightdress, she attempted to proposition him again, plastering her naked body against him as she slid her hands into his shirt.

He took a deep breath and reminded her that she was very drunk and that was most certainly not going to happen.

By the time he actually got her safely into the clothing and tucked into bed, he wasn't sure how many times he'd had to pry her hands out of his clothing and promise her that they could 'do that tomorrow', because it was nearly a continuous refrain.

He did let her have one more gentle kiss - which he ended abruptly when she tried to tug him down into bed with her - before he bid her a final goodnight and left her to sleep alone.

Leaning back against the outside of her bedroom door, Clef let out a soft laugh. This was not how he had expected to spend the evening. He hesitated a moment, staring at the door of his own bedroom, before changing his mind and heading downstairs

It was definitely getting late. No one was up and about in the downstairs sitting rooms or the kitchen when he walked through and stepped up into the calm, quiet wing that Aveo had claimed for herself. Even though they weren't exactly public rooms, everyone in the house was allowed as far as her study for the potions cabinet.

With a small ball of magic clutched in his hand for light, he crept through the corridor like a naughty child sneaking sweets. It wasn't like he wouldn't be found out - he could feel the soft hum of the monitoring spell on the doorway when he walked into her office - but what he was doing was between him and Umi, no one else.

He opened the little cabinet and rolled his eyes at the note pinned inside the door, addressed to him and reminding him which was the long-term potion he was after. He crumpled the note and tossed it in the bin before tucking a few little phials into his pocket and making his way back to his own bed.

A/N: All feedback is loved! I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

As mentioned at the end of previous chapters, if you have read this fic before and have left a review on the original chapter 6, you will not be able to comment here. But you can comment all you like over on AO3. OR you can send me a PM or an email (all my contact info is in my profile).

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Also, old readers might notice the one big change to this fic, beside the additional detail that has stretched the plot across more chapters (they will go to the market in chapter 8 not chapter 7, but that remains the same) is that they do not drunkly sleep together after the ball. Looking back, I felt that Clef is nearly 750 years old and should no better than to let himself be irresponsible. He would knwo that alcohol lowers inhibitions and leads to bad choices. I also felt it was a bit nicer to Umi to have her first time not be a drunken fumble. So, they will be completely sober when they make that choice... in the next chapter

The next chapter will be posting in it's entirity on AO3, but will definitely be edited for content over here. As Umi will defintely hold him to his promise of 'tomorrow'.