Lying flat on my back I stared up at the ceiling of my bedroom, wondering why I had put myself into danger.
Probably because Rincewind would have gotten himself killed and I couldn't just sit back and let him. Unfortunately for him I can't exactly asked Liliana to bring him back. Well maybe he wouldn't have died but still...
I was jogged out of my thoughts by a light knock at my bedroom door and with a sigh and a grimace I managed to sit. "Come in. The door's unlocked." I coughed out and the door slowly opened, Rincewind poking his head into the room with two slightly pink cheeks.
"I know that I was just being polite." He answered and I gave him a weak grin waving him into the room. After a pause and a slight shuffling of his feet on my carpet he finally pulled his entire body into the room, turning to close the door with a click. "Are you alright? You didn't say a word after the meeting with that blue cloaked man."
"You mean Jace? Yeah I've been thinking about what happened and...what could have happened." I finally answered and he tilted his head to one side, not speaking until I waved him over. Rincewind wandered over pausing at the foot of my bed when I raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you take a seat and tell me what's on your mind?" I said and he reached up, slipping his hat off before he fiddled with it.
"Is it that obvious that I've thinking about what happened?" He asked with a grimace when he focused on my bandaged ankle for long enough for me to see him frown. "I...feel responsible."
"Rincewind, it's just a broken ankle." I told him, staring when he shoved the hat back onto his head with his eyes narrowed at me. "I've upset you." I sighed and he swallowed, pacing the room as I watched as he gathered his thoughts.
"It's not just the ankle! I wanted to run away and you didn't." Rincewind argued and I sighed as he focused his attention on a loose thread sticking out of the sleeve of his robe. "You were right. I would have been badly injured or..." He trailed off when I sighed, shaking my head before I gave the mattress a pat with my hand. He didn't sit not at first and I rolled my eyes clearing my throat and with a glance at the frown I was giving him he quickly sat beside me.
"Rincewind, you need to stop blaming yourself every time something bad that happens. I was trying to protect you and I did...more or less." I told him and he cleared his throat, nodding towards my bandages with a weak smile. "Okay so I have a sprained ankle but it will heal eventually and I'll be as good as new." I agreed, giving his knee a pat when he tried to shift away.
"You didn't even hesitate." Rincewind muttered in a small voice and I just shrugged looking at his face when he turned to face me. "But I wanted to run and it usually works."
"There's a first time for everything and besides I'm a lot more durable than you, Rincewind." I answered and he brightened slightly, a hint of a smile creeping onto his lips before he could change it. "See? It's not all bad." I laughed, patting his knee and without knowing why I covered his hand with my own.
Rincewind's face immediately reddened though I felt better when he didn't pull away instead he gave my hand a weak squeeze in response. After an awkward pause Rincewind cleared his throat and I blinked at him when he turned to face me, still looking a little red-faced. "If it's alright with you ca...can I make it up to you?" He stammered and I had to bit back a laugh at how badly he was blushing when he said it.
"Of course. You can start by giving me a back rub. My back aches from landing on that stone floor. That wooden crate didn't exactly do my ankle any favours in the first place." I asked and he nodded so fast the tip of his hat fall over his face. Giggling I motioned to the spot behind me and after some awkward shuffling around , in my case shifting forward an inch, he took a seat behind me.
"So...where do I start?" Rincewind asked, grateful that I couldn't see how badly he was blushing as he placed a hand on my back and I smiled to myself.
"You can start at the spot between my shoulder-blades and work your way down my spine." I suggested and he nodded, feeling foolish once he remembered I couldn't see him, before he started to rub my shoulder-blades with his fingers.
A few seconds of quiet followed and Rincewind frowned, wondering if he doing the back rub correctly until I set one of my hands down on the bed and he glanced at it. When I sighed, tilting my head back he found himself breaking into a small grin so deciding to try something he considered bold he began to slowly working his way down my spine with the fingers on both of his hands. "You can use a little more force." I suggested and he blinked as I turned my head slightly.
"Okay." Rincewind agreed, pushing his fingers deeper into my back and I sighed a little louder this time. "So that's alright?" He asked and I nodded, unable to believe I'd talked the wizard into giving me a back-rub.
Even Rincewind couldn't believe that he had his hands on my back though he cracked a smile when I shivered.
Ailis actually likes what I'm doing? If anyone told me I'd be giving an undead healer a back-rub I would have laughed in their face. Or at the very least I would have sniggered behind their back.
She likes you you fool. Why else would she have risked getting injured just to protect you, his mind said. Hello again by the way.
Plus you have your hands on her right now. Don't tell me you don't have the same feelings about her? His mind added and Rincewind sighed to himself his hands working as his mind argued with itself.
Ailis doesn't have any romantic feelings for me. Though you are right and I do have my hands on her right now. But it's just a back-rub. It doesn't mean anything.
You could be doing more, much more. Don't you want to make it up to her for protecting you, his libido piped up and he could feel his face heating up.
Not like that. I mean I like her but you're talking about...
If you weren't attracted to her you wouldn't even be thinking about it would you, his libido countered.
His face bright red Rincewind tried to focus on the back-rub and nothing else but he couldn't help his own imagination, thinking about the argument he had been having with his own consciousness. "I mean she likes me and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I do...like her as well." He muttered not knowing that I had heard every word and I felt my own cheeks burning as he continued. "But I can't just...I mean it's forbidden for a wizard to have...relations with a woman."
"Rincewind, I can hear everything you're saying. You realize that don't you?" I teased, my own cheeks a darker shade of green when Rincewind's hands froze at the base of my spine.
"I...I was? Oh I never noticed." Rincewind lied, trying to stay calm as he realized that everything he'd been thinking he'd accidentally said aloud.
"Rincewind, are you...were you considering..." I trailed off with a cough which he echoed, both of us unable to look each other in the face for a full minute. "B...but if you are considering...pursuing...this further...I wouldn't object."
"I...might be...but I can't. Unseen University would have me kicked out and barred for life if they knew." Rincewind stammered, brightening when I turned slightly giving him a small smile. To his amusement he noted that my cheeks were dark as I cleared my throat."Oh but we're in Ravnica now." He added in a small voice, hearing a faint giggle. Shaking his head he felt a tiny smile curl his lips before he resumed my back-rub, with a little more force amused to feel me relax as he rubbed at the base of my spine.
He's seriously considering it. Who would have thought that Rincewind of all people would even think about...that. I mean we all think about that subject from time to time though I was really only joking around him. Still if he wants to I wouldn't say no...exactly.
I was jogged out of my less than innocent thoughts when Rincewind made a bold move. Or bold for Rincewind anyway and I straightened hoping he'd make the first move when I felt his nose bury itself in my neck, causing me to jerk with a faint squeal that later on I would deny even making. "I wasn't trying to...I was going for romantic." Rincewind mumbled, lifting his head with a faint frown on his face.
"Sorry I didn't mean to do that." I apologized when I pulled myself around to face him, trying very hard not to bump my leg in the process. "I..look I have a better idea. Can you fetch the bottle I've been keeping in the cupboard? Top shelf and it's a light blue." I asked and he nodded, scrambling off the bed only to catch himself on the blanket. I tried very hard not to laugh planting a hand over my mouth to stifle it as he landed in a heap only to quickly scramble back to his feet, dust himself off and rush to the bedroom door.
"I will be right back." Rincewind promised, nearly smacking himself in the face in his hurry to open the door. My laughter followed him as he shot into the hallway rubbing the bridge of his nose before he made it was a little more calmly towards my kitchen. After some careful searching, mainly trying every cupboard I had in my kitchen, I looked up when Rincewind returned with a bottle held tightly in one hand.
"Found it. Whatever it is." He said, bumping the door closed behind him before he made his way towards me giving the offending blanket a narrowing of his eyes that made me smile. Once he sat beside me I grinned, taking the bottle from him only to frown. Once he saw my face fall he grinned, producing two glasses from somewhere in his robe. Not questioning where he had hidden them he held out one and I gave a weak laugh, pouring half a glass for him.
"Thi...this was a marv...marvo...a great idea." Rincewind hiccuped an hour later and I giggled, pouring what was left of the bottle of wine into his glass. Noting that that was all that I had left he frowned slightly. "You...you shou...should have the rest." He said, pushing the glass inches from my nose.
"No...yo...you have it. I've drunk...too..mu...much already." I argued and he snorted, his cheeks reminding me of ripe strawberries. "Yo...you have it."
"No I insi...insit...you take it." He countered, the glass wobbling in his fingers and I giggled as he stared at the glass. "I may...hav...have too mu...much already." He added with a hiccup and I grinned, finally taking the glass mainly so he didn't spill it on my carpet.
"Okay...if you...think I...shou...should." I giggled, tilting my head back and he grinned as I poured most of the contains of the glass down my throat though I did spill some on my shirt and I blinked as he started to giggle. "That...that...wasn't...what I want...wanted to do."
"You are...clumsy." Rincewind laughed and I snorted, dropping the now empty glass on the carpet where it bounced. "Never...se...seen that...hapn...happen...it bounced." He stammered and I shrugged, watching the glass for a moment to see if it happened again.
"I thought it...would bon...bouc...jump again." I muttered, with a slight frown and Rincewind just smiled as I chewed my bottom lip looking very confused. I was still frowning at the fallen glass waiting for something to happen when Rincewind shifted closer and I felt his shoulder brush mine.
"You...are very...atr...atrac...cute when you...pull that face." Rincewind pointed out, a smirk on his face when I blushed from embarrassment. Or it could have been the wine though when his face moved closer and our noses touched in the middle I tilted my head to one side and Rincewind took that opportunity to close the distance between us. His mouth found mine causing me to drape an arm around his neck as I kissed him back just as strongly.
I could taste the wine on his tongue when it touched mine, a strong taste of strawberries and once we broke apart I buried my face in his neck. "T...that was...wonf...wondr...great. You taste like berries." I sighed and he cracked a smile as I nuzzled his neck, unable to resist giving it a lick with my tongue and he froze.
"Ailis...?" Rincewind whispered and I lifted my head somewhat reluctantly, thinking even in my drunken state that I'd crossed a line when I found him with his eyes wide.
"S...sorry...the wine...bad idea..." I mumbled until he leapt forward, using his hands to push my shoulders back and I sprawled with a yelp my eyes widening as he stared at me. Pushing himself up by his elbows he stared down at me as I lay on the bed not blinking until a faint smile crossed his lips and then I was shuddering when he buried his nose in my neck.
"N...no...great idea. Ju...just wish...I'd thog...thout...came up with it." Rincewind mumbled, nose buried in my neck and I grasped the blanket under me with my right hand clenching it tightly into my fist as he started to kiss his way up towards my ear. I didn't move too intent on finding exactly what the wizard had planned on doing and after a pause I felt his hand gently shift my head to one side, leaving me momentarily confused until his mouth found my earlobe and I groaned earning myself a tiny laugh as his grasped my earlobe between his teeth.
I could feel his teeth as they nibbled and nipped, drawing a groan from me as I struggled to stay perfectly still. Noting this Rincewind decided he wasn't going to make it any easier for me and I jerked as his hands found my hips, his left hand gripping my hip. His fingers gently stroked my hips and I moved my left hand to push his hand away only to discover he had planned on that and he grasped my fingers.
"Not...goi...going to ma...make..it...eas...easy." He stammered, lifting my arm above my head despite my weak protests. "Doin...doing this...right." He added, grasping my other arm before he lifted it above my head.
"Rincewind." I gasped and he just smirked at me, burying his face in my neck taking a deep breath as he did. "W...wow." I whimpered, closing my eyes as he kissed and licked his way down my throat. After he reached the collar of my cloak he loosened it, exposing the shirt I wore with a faint smirk on his lips.
When the shirt slipped down enough to expose my shoulders and the faintest hint of my cleavage he paused, giving my skin a very long stare and then I was groaning as his lips brushed each of my shoulders in turn.
"Open your eyes." I heard Rincewind whispered and I cracked open an eye to find the wizard looking directly at my face. "Better. I wan...want to see...your eyes." He told me and I lifted my head slightly to kiss him. He nibbled my lips as the kiss ended giving me a faint smile and as his mouth traveled further down I could feel his fingers on my shirt, carefully undoing each button as he kissed his way down my body.
Some tiny part of Rincewind's mind told him he shouldn't be pursuing Ailis romantically, pointing out the backlash he would face should he ever return to Ankh-Mopoke. Aided somewhat by the wine, mostly by the wine if he was going to be honest with himself, Rincewind found it didn't really care to question this. Ailis hadn't even tried to push him away when he pinned her to the bed so that was a plus in his book.
Rincewind wasn't entirely show when he'd unbuttoned her shirt, somewhere between kissing her throat and neck he supposed, though as he stared down at her now very visible bra he blinked. Noticing that he hadn't resumed kissing me I slowly opened my eyes to find him sitting on the edge of the bed his entire face an attractive shade of red. He didn't see me sitting until I lightly set my palm down on his shoulder and he turned to see my eyes searching his face.
"Is there...som...something...wrong...with...m...me?" I hiccuped and he nodded then shook his head when my lower lip quivered. "J...jer...jerk." I snapped at him, my happiness swept away by a wave of fury and heartbreak. "Ge...get out." Seeing me pointing at the door as I pulled my shirt around me, my lips quivering now and fresh tears welling in my eyes Rincewind tried to apologize.
"D...didn't...mean it...like that. Getting swep...swept...away." Rincewind coughed getting a sniff for his trouble. "Ailis, please...look at me." His earlier confidence taking a hit when I turned away, wiping at my eyes with one hand while the other kept my shirt wrapped around me.
"Yo...you don't...like m...me? You made me...think..." I whispered, hot tears running down my cheeks and Rincewind softened reaching out for my hand. This time I didn't move sniffing as he gently wrapped his left hand around mine. "I...I'm sorry..I..." I trailed off as he lifted his right hand to my cheek wiping away my tears.
"You don't need to...apoli..apolo...say you're sorry. I wanted to run...but I can't. I like you, Ailis. You...protected me and I...I'm so grateful...I pushed you away." Rincewind coughed, pressing my hand to his cheek. "Ple...please don't be...mad at me."
"Not...mad just...disappointed." I whispered, moving over so that I sitting on his lap. For once Rincewind didn't object leaving me secretly pleased especially when he placed a hand on my left shoulder. When he started to rub slow circles around my shoulder I didn't object as well liking the way he dug his fingers into my shoulder after a minute or so.
Hearing me sigh brought a smile to Rincewind's face and as he set his other hand on my right shoulder, rubbing it as well, he stared down at me as I rested my head against his chest.
The warm feeling that Rincewind had felt in his stomach earlier had grown and he smiled to himself as he watched me close my eyes a faint smile on my face. Being bolder than he had ever thought he could be Rincewind lifted me up slightly, pleased to see my eyes shoot open in shock his lips finding mine and this time there was so hesitation as he kissed me hard.
We only broke off the kiss long enough for me to awkwardly turn myself around so that I was facing the wizard and then we were started all over again, my arms now draped around the wizard's shoulders and my bandaged leg draped over his waist. Though I soon broke off the kiss with a grimace and Rincewind stared at me as I tried to move my arm over my back, wincing.
"Ailis, is...som...something...wrong?" He asked, looking slightly cross-eyed and I sighed lightly kissing his nose.
"My spine aches and I can't reach it. Do you think you could rub my back for me?" I asked and he stared at me until I cleared my throat, my lower lip quivering. "Unless you don't want to?" I muttered noticing how uncomfortable he looked even after having no problem making out with me for more than a few minutes.
"No! I'll help." He stammered, hoping that his cheeks were just red from the alcohol in his system as he gently moved me from his lap onto the bed. After some awkward maneuvering he climbed onto the bed behind me and after I heard him take a deep breath he stretched his fingers. "W...where would you like m...me to rub your back?"
"Along my spine where you were rubbing before. Oh and near the base of my spine when I fell on my backside." I asked, trying very hard not to giggle as he coughed.
Once Rincewind finally found the courage he pressed his own palm against my back and I sighed, tilting my head back slightly when he began to rub his fingers against my spine. After a long pause he tried the spot at the base of my spine that I had mentioned not expecting me to let out a groan and he froze his hand still pressed to my spine as he stared at me.
She's enjoying having you rubbing her back for her, his mind supplied as Rincewind resumed gently running his fingers between my shoulder-blades.
This is probably her way of letting you get close to her without making you uncomfortable.
But I am uncomfortable! I'm not supposed to be getting close to Ailis, or any woman in general. But I want to get close and the kissing was very good.
Of course you do. That's why you have your hands on her right now, his libido answered with a faint chuckle. You're enjoying this and I should know.
I mean she is pretty in an undead sort of way. I do like having her around and she didn't make fun of me when I told her I couldn't cast magic. Plus this is actually...nice.
"Rincewind?" I whispered, turning my head slightly when he didn't answer to see him staring at the wall over my shoulder. "Is something wrong? You're gone all red." I pointed out and he huffed, taking another breath before he started to rub my back with the fingers on both hands and I couldn't help melting. "W...wow. You're pretty good at this." I breathed and he flashed a grin, putting a little more pressure in his rubbing.
What am I doing? She's sitting right there inches from me and I could just shift an inch closer and we'd be...pressed together.
Rincewind lost that train of thought, too focused on how close Ailis was and I let out a whine as he pressed the thumb of his right hand against the base of my spine. "W...what are you doing?" I whispered, secretly pleased when he raised his head chewing his lower lip with two blue eyes staring at the back of my head.
"I really don't know but I am beginning to like it." Rincewind answered and I instantly agreed especially when his fingers traveled down my back and I let out a gasp when his wandering hands settled on my skirt. "How about you, Ailis?"
"V...very much so, Rincewind." I mumbled, turning my head when he dipped his head towards mine.