In the Night

Their union is celebrated without their attention, the guests played games and sang songs or at least half of them did. At the long table laden with ignored decor sit the newly married strangers. They talk to in an effort to know each other, ignoring their company. Allfather has moved to sit with Lilith and her company, deciding he should get to know the ambassadors of Pandora. After a moment Lilith grins widely, slapping Bricks shoulder as she points ahead of them.

" oh look! I think she likes him!"

Bricks line of sight goes in the direction shes pointing, to Mordecai and his pretty new wife who's name he doesn't know.

"oh, yes I think she does..."

Bricks grin is rather unnerving and his voice shameless as he watches the couple ahead of them. Mordecai with his hand on the side of her face, running his thumb over her bright red cheek. Allfather turns to look, he finds himself wanting to slap that hand off his daughter so simply turns away.

" I don't think I've ever seen her let anyone touch her before...aside from the medic..."

Axton chuckles from beside brick as he glances over to the scene, where Mordecai gives a soft kiss. Mayas face almost glowing, although she smiles while she swats his shoulder.

" look at that sly old dog! I guess he's got some moves after all."

Allfather blinks quickly, his gaze darting from Axton across the room to Mordecai.

" moves what moves?! He's just sitting there- what is he doing?"

Lilith looks over at the man panicking beside her, she puts hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

" he's just trying to charm her- so she likes him, since they didn't get to do the whole dating thing."

Brick lets off a wistful and dreamy sigh as he watches Maya laugh at some thing Mordecai says.

" you don't have to worry about her, Mortys a good guy he'll take care of her. He likes to spoil girls when he's got em."

"pfft- that poor bastard bends over backward so just they'll smile"

Axton shakes his head at the thought of doing so much work for so little reward. Lilith huffs at the tone he uses.

"whats wrong with that? He just likes to make sure that he can keep em happy! That sweet-"

"yea sweet, look at all the sweet footprints all over that poor guys back."

Lilith glares across the table, she angrily crosses her arms over her chest.

" this is going to be different- won't it!-"

She glances over at Allfather, slapping his hand before pointing across the table to Axton and continuing.

" I bet she's real nice and she'll be good for him! He'll take care of her and shes gonna damn well APPRECIATE IT!"

At this point Lilith is half up out of her chair, glaring daggers at Axton who stares back less than intimidated by her.

" Actually, she prefers to care for herself... and shes a bit icy. Not really a people person..."

Allfather stares into a distant void, talking out loud but not really to anyone in particular.

" to be fair she hates people. Not because she doesn't want people around, she just.. . she never seems to really trust...any one aside from her brother and I like to think she trusts me. Although she is quite accommodating, always willing to try at least for a while."

" Where'd they go?"

Brick looks up from the rambling man to the table laden with cold plates and empty chairs. The entire table goes quiet. Until Axton snorts and then he can't stop laughing.

" That dog!"

Maya walks along with Mordecai showing him the grounds that she will likely never see again, slowly going closer to the room that was shown to her earlier that morning.

" I think you're wearing the only flower I've seen in this place, you guys have all that grass but not one flower."

She looks at him sideways, pleasantly surprised by his observation.

" its fake. Soft but fake."

" eh? Really"

"yea, real grass makes stains or so I hear."

"you don't know ?"

" I have never left this place. So I have not seen real grass."

" well sorry, but Pandora doesn't really have any either. We got some flowers though."

He feels her hand on his arms tighten slightly, when he looks at her she is wearing a lopsided smile.

" are they real?"

" what the hell would we do with fake flowers?"

She reaches up and plucks the rose from her hair and holds it out for him. He takes it from her surprised to find that its hard, rough like course sandpaper and kind of heavy. He makes a rather sour expression at the fake rose sitting in his hand

"looks nice though..."

" I suppose. I have nothing to compare it to, I should like to see a real one someday."

" you want roses?"

He smiles at her, trying to remember the one rosebush he saw in an old ladies garden. How much would she charge him for a few?

" a real flower, real grass, a rock that isn't polished and shaped."

Mordecai smiles at the way she glares at the bright red rubies set into her dress, so upset with almost every part of this place. This place that he will be taking her away from. In his mind he's already decided where he wants to take her, what he wants to show her. While he looks at her he follows her line of sight. The bright red vault emblem, tattooed onto his right forearm.

" you like it?"

"what is it?"

" Its the the first tattoo I ever got."

Her head snaps up to look at him with wide curious eyes, she immediately grab his left wrist turning his arm to look for another marking.

"there are more?"

" on my back."

" what is it? How many are there? How big are they how did you put them on your back how did you get them to stay on-"

She stops rambling when he laughs, the sound is warm but hoarse and slightly gravelly. The sound makes her stomach flip, his smile is maybe... kind of nice. As she look at him more closely she spots a deep but fading scar over his eye, she hadn't really paid any attention earlier. Lines in his face and the way the lower part is slightly darker than the upper.

" why are you laughing at me?"

" I ... you're kinda cute."

He looks around, realizing that pretty much everyone is still in the reception hall so the rest of the place is empty.

"..."

She looks to him for a moment realizing that since they have decided to be done with the reception there is only one part of their wedding remaining. Her gaze drifts downward until she finds herself rather thoroughly examining his boots.

" Mami? "

Maya looks up at him from beneath her long curved indigo lashes, instead of speaking she simply walks off towards a set of glass double doors a short ways off. Curiously he follows suit wondering where her voice seems to have gone. She slips through the doors, leaving one open for him. As passes through it he closes it soundlessly to avoid surprises, she rounds a corner ahead of him. For a good few minutes he finds himself chasing the train of her long dress. What happened to the sound of her clicking heels?

An arced door hangs open in a dead end hallway, a nimbus of gold light spilling from it. When he steps in, he finds her sitting on the corner of a very large and ornate canopy bed. Its four posters are carved into the figures of angels with their long slender wings extended upward to cradle the white silk and sheer curtains. When he slips the door shut, he hears the tumblers fall and lock the door as soon as it closes.

Very suddenly he feels as if he's invaded a very private place. The room has cream colored walls with dark gold filigree embedded in the molding. The wide window is round and heavily decorated, although clouded from view with more sheer curtains. Finally he feels her eyes fall to him, she looks so nervous.

"mami, are you alright?"

Maya simply nods at him her pale only partially exposed hands folded in her lap. Unsure of what he ought to do he steps toward her, gingerly sitting down beside her.

" if you're too nervous. We don't have to do this tonight, I don't mind waiting."

She looks at him in slight amazement, giving a warm smile. It fades and falls from her face.

" I would like to wait. I do not believe I am ready to do this but if we do not consummate our union tonight than the alliance that your friend worked so hard for will be voided."

" I won't say anything, I don't want you to feel like you have to do this."

Maya finds herself letting off a wistful sigh as she looks at him again.

" I am a terrible liar. And I would know, we must complete our marriage or I would feel like I have deceived people."

Mordecai find his own gaze following along the patterns in the carpet this time, he reaches up and rubs the back of his neck feeling a bit more nervous.

" ah, well... than- "

He comes to a decision in his own mind and looks at her hoping she will appreciate it.

" so than tonight we'll do this and then afterward. After tonight I will wait until you're ready, until you want to be with me. Alright?"

She stares at him in confusion for a moment before what he's offering fully processes. Maya smiles weakly at him before allowing herself to set her forehead on his shoulder.

" you are very kind."

How incredibly untrue, he snorts in response to her words, the small chuckle that follows leaves her staring at him in confusion again.

" I'm really not all that nice most of the time. I just don't like the idea of you feeling like sex with me is an obligation. "

"at the moment it is."

She says it rather bluntly, her expression now one of mild amusement, she snorts at the face he makes in response.

"Mami, are being an ass on purpose?"

" well you are being so nice I suppose I just had to ruin it."

Mordecai laughs and lets himself flop backwards onto the mattress, so much softer than he expected. As he lays backward half sprawled out the hem of his shirt lifts just over his naval, He doesn't catch Mayas curious stare.

" you said you have other markings, like the one on your arm- may I see?"

He looks at her lost for only a moment before he recalls the conversation in the hallway. With a loud huff Mordecai pushes himself back into a sitting position and then stands up crossing his arms over his flat stomach before pulling his shirt up over his head. He pitches it across the room into corner where it lands with a soft thump.

" holy crap!?"

Maya almost shouts when she sees the number of scars that litter Mordecai's lithe body. He looks are her with slight amusement, then turns his back to her so she can see the image of three black feathers on his right shoulder blade. On his left shoulder blade, directly over the back of his heart is the image of red cross hairs. Maya stands up, gently placing her fingertips on his back, tracing the outline of one of the feathers.

"why feathers?"

" a good friend of mine died, I got feathers there because she always had my back when I was in a corner. Don't think I would have lived very long if I didn't have her."

" and this? What is this?"

Her fingertips are chill, icy cold against his warm skin. The lingering touch giving him goosebumps.

" its cross hairs, you don't know what that is?"

He looks at her over his shoulder, she shakes her head at him, now curiously touching the various healed sliced in his skin, shut off bullet wounds and even a few burns.

"what are cross hairs?"

" its how you target things with most guns."

Her hands open and press beneath his shoulder blades, stroking the far too smooth flesh of a wide burn scar dotted with a few bullet wounds.

" I have never had any need for those..."

Maya pushes back her left sleeve, the fabric bunching up by her elbow and exposing several spiraling blue lines on her skin. His eyes go wide in bewilderment at the image, he whips around to look more closely at the markings.

" miereda! you're a siren..."

She stares at him once again left with her gears turning and no goal in sight.

"What? Mie- reh – dah?"

" ah, its Truxican and means 'shit'."

" oh? Oh kay I suppose."

He extends his hand forward to touch her own, his fingertips brushing over the spiraling blue lines.

" why... do these seem like scars? Lils marks aren't like this..."

"you know of another siren?"

"a few actually, theres commander Steele, but she died, Angel, she's locked up, Lilith and now you."

" I very suddenly feel less unique."

" why do these look like scars mami?"

As she looks down at her own arm, it occurs to her that hes right, the same little pinched up ridges on the edges where the skin is too tight. The same gloss and shine of an injury that was forced to heal too quickly, the same incredibly smooth texture and feel.

" I hadn't thought about it... but they grew as I began training to control my abilities."

" you forced these to grow?"

" I suppose I did, when I was much younger they where thin and pale like veins. When my brother and I where put to training they began to grow..."

Mordecai lifts her hand and presses his lips over the lines that crawl over her fingers and the back of her hands. Her face turns pink at the feeling of his lips on her skin.

" that ain't right."

She arcs a brow at him.

" I hear that guns have a thing called safety, do you use it often?"

He stares at her blankly for a moment, still holding her hand.

" eh?"

" there is no point in having a gun with no bullets, no use for an arrow with no head. What good is a weapon that cannot be used?"

Something in him flares and very suddenly he finds himself wanting to hurt these 'monks'.

" yea but a gun don't get pissed or hurt. They don't bleed. Arrows are supposed to break, you aren't. You're not a weapon, why... why are you so..."

He doesn't have any words to match with what he feels so instead he pulls her very close and holds her. He presses a kiss to her cheek and then her forehead while he runs his fingers through her hair.

" you're a very strange man"

" you don't even know yet."

"yet...? "

For some reason he find himself smiling against her, Maya looks upward at him her full lips only slightly parted. The image of her like that so tempting, he cannot refuse, he dips down and presses his lips against her own. This time not so quickly, not brushing lips his over hers in a kind of tease. This time she feels the weight of him pressed against her, he's warm so warm. All over, his hands his body and oh good lord his mouth. His temperature clashing with her own icy flesh in a stunning way, her lips are cold as well, chill as if she was drinking iced water.

His tongue darts over her lip, his hand in her hair cradling her skull; the other hand holding the weight of her by the small of her back as it would seem her knees have forgotten themselves. Her own hands tenderly holding his shoulders, their chests pressed almost flush together. Only just a thin layer of silk standing between them, the dress it fits her torso like a second skin. Fitting so snugly one might think it where painted on her many wide curves.

Fingers in her hair slide down her neck, finding very small zipper pull, he slides it down just enough to expose her neck. Only a small bit of skin, that he dips downward for, she huffs when she feels his lips gently nipping on her before dropping soft kisses. Her response is in her hands, the way they grip his shoulders so tightly, small shivers running up and down her spine. The small zip slides lower, allowing his touches to extend to her shoulders.

He continues in this way until she lies beneath him on the very soft bed, breath hitching while he drags his tongue down the inner side of her thighs. Mayas wrists are crossed over her head, her hair spilling over ruffled pillows looking very much like a waterfall still and frozen. One of her knees rests over his shoulders, the other bent and allowed to lay almost flat against the comforter. Mordecai shifts his attention, crawling up her body and looking right in her crystal blue eyes. She looks right back into his eyes, a darkened green she can honestly say she has never seen before.

For some reason he reaches up to hold one of her hands, resting the weight of himself on his forearms. He is careful to move slowly as he feels himself sliding into her, never once looking away from her beautiful blue eyes. She huffs biting her lip, blinking rapidly in an attempt to be away with the moisture collecting at the corners. Mordecai leans down to kiss her lips before stilling himself.

"are you alright? Am I hurting you?"

" it is alright."

She says this with her brow slightly furrowed, an expression of discomfort rather evident.

" I'm sorry."

He finds himself buried inside her and presses his forehead down on hers, closing his eyes to concentrate on keeping calm. His eyes open slowly when he feels her hand gently running over his hair, softly petting him. He finds her looking quite content, she pulls his face close to give him a chaste kiss before almost whispering.

" please, do not cease. I wish to please you."

" I don't want to hurt you."

"do not worry yourself, for I am strong...So please yourself with my body, I would like not to beg."

Why does that bizarrely worded sentence comfort him so? He kisses her feverishly, his hand sliding from her own down her arm until his calloused fingertips drag across her chest groping at her breasts. She lays her arms back down overhead on the pillows, making sure to keep herself still for him to do as he pleases. Unsure of how to respond to his touches, his firm body over her own. She settles simply to watch him and his expressions.

For some reason her stillness is more arousing than he thought it would be, what does the most is the sensation of her eyes on him. So unaccustomed to the idea that his pleasure should be put first he finds himself amazed. He can quite honestly say he's never had a lover who wanted him to feel as much satisfaction as they did. His hips begin to roll as he licks at her breasts, enjoying her body like an offered feast. She begins to twitch and squirm under him, her reactions involuntary.

Gripping a woman's knee and pulling it up over his shoulder is something he has always loved doing in bed. However, it is apparently strenuous on their tired muscles, so he never got to do it very often. Now however he has both of Mayas knees over his shoulders as he bucks his narrow hips. Her hands are balled up into fists gripping up the sheets and some of her own hair while he thrusts himself deeper and deeper. He can't help but grin when he looks down and sees her thighs glistening with her own dripping arousal, for a moment he just watches it leak from her while he shoves himself inward and out again. The image serving to thrill him all the more, he had hoped to last longer than this on their honeymoon.

The sound of their skin slapping together is almost drowned out by her light moaning and him grunting and huffing. He drops one of her legs down onto the mattress giving him a better view of their repeated joining. He shifts to stand on his knees while he bucks into her, one hand holding her leg onto his shoulder; the other slipping down her wet thigh and stroking at her swollen clitoris. The inner muscle gripping his member twitches, so he strokes her in small circles.

Her back arches and falls, her head turning this way and that. She cant seem to decide is she wants to be heard or not, however she cant seem to stop the way her body grips him almost pulling him in as his fingers begin to move a bit faster.

" you like that huh mami?"

Maya looks at him but can't seem to find any words, or the ability to stop her hips from thrusting upward against him. His fingers slipping in those tight little circles against her, the way she grinds against him desperate for more; he is forced to bit his lip to keep his climax at bay. Her previous words ring out in his head.

'please yourself with my body'

Moments later Mordecai finds himself hunched over her huffing as his full body is racked with the strength of his orgasm. Lights go off in in the back of his head and under his eyelids. A dreamlike euphoria spills over him and he finds himself with no way to respond; when he is able to open his eyes he finds her watching him. Her face still flush and her eyes still heated.

He just grins at her in a manner which is probably quite stupid before leaning down to kiss her. While his tongue wanders her mouth his hand resumes its earlier motions, she can't seem to concentrate on his mouth while he touches her. Maya begins to roll her hips against his touch, her voice growing in volume as he brings her closer and closer.

Tangled up in her hands the sheets look much like they might just split and tear in her tight grip, he smirks while he changes directions. Mordecai can't help but enjoy the image of her writhing under him like that, in just a moment later she finds herself almost blinded as she screams out her release.

A few minutes later, when she has finally quieted and stilled he holds her against him. She lays with her head against his shoulder breathing softly, he lays there on his back idly playing with her hair. Her cerulean blue hair wrapped in loose coils around his fingertip, it unravels so he pick up another thin lock and repeat the motion. He looks over and watches her sleep for a moment before he finds himself drifting off as well.

In the morning he wakes to a rapid knocking at the door a weight on his arm and a grunt from somewhere beside him. Mordecai glares at the door wondering how long til they leave, looks down and sees Maya burying her face in the crook of his neck. Small blue curls roll off her shoulder revealing the little red marks he left on her neck, the image sparks his memory and leaving him grinning lazily. The knocking resumes.

"oi, what?"

" breakfast-"

The weight on his shoulder lifts slowly, he looks to see her staring blearily at the door. Her hair is a mess, her expression is one of mild interest although he can't quite make out what shes mumbling.

"come in?"

A tall gray twiggish man ambles in carrying a large silver platter on a wooden tray with short little legs attached to it. Maya pulls one of the sheets around herself and scoots into a sitting position as the man lays the tray down over her lap.

" many thanks brother Othello"

The twiggy man nods his acceptance before looking at Mordecai who hasn't budged.

" that red headed friend of your is calling for you sir."

The old mans words are half garbled by his lack of teeth but punctuated with his vague pointing outward. Mordecai lays flat on his back with his hands up behind his head and the blanket thrown just over his navel. He wrinkles his nose at the mans words, only opening one eye to ask.

"lil? where is she?"

" out in the gardens"

Mordecai groans, not a chance in hell he's walking all the way the hell over there. Not when this bed is so soft and toasty and this soft sexy woman is here next to him... lazily chewing a piece of toast.

" can you bring 'er back here?"

Brother Othello nods ans slowly turns around to shut the door and bring Lilith back. Mordecai snorts when the door shuts and Maya just flops back down on the bed- rattling the cups of orange juice.

"not ready to get up?"

"never"

Mordecai grips the edge of the tray with one wide hand and carefully sets in on the bedside table. He grabs the toast Maya has quit chewing and tosses it over the cooling plate of eggs. As he flops back down to ask her something he finds she's already slipped off back to sleep. With a small chuckle he closes his eyes to join her.

It is almost an hour later that the knock return to their door, Mordecai finds himself once again glaring at the large chunk of wood.

"lil?"

"yea."

With that she shoves the door open to find the pair still undressed in bed. Behind her Othello mumbles as he shakes his head and ambles away.

"time to get up you guys."

"in a minute"

Mordecais customary response to any wake up call, Maya however begins blinking and yawning.

"as you mm say..."

Lilith watches Maya who moves like a snail in sap, they both watch her scoot into a sitting position, then paws at her husbands chest.

" up"

She looks so delirious as she tries to wake him, he settles to just pull her back down onto him where she she doesn't really struggle to get back up. The two listen to her mumble about the time before she drifts off again.

"hey morty"

"hmm?"

"are you still mad at me?"

" maybe but she is pretty damn sexy"

Lilith rolls her eyes while he strokes her hair, from behind Lilith the sound of quick heavy footsteps march over and halt. Allfather reaches out for the already open door, his knock is rapid and loud. Maya jolts up yanking one of the sheets up with her, she scrambles out of bed and stands at attention with naught but a sheet around her.

"you have slept long daughter, the sun has been up for hours."

"apologies father"

Allfather looks at the tray beside the bed disappointed.

"you have 11 minutes, wake, dress, eat and be on the green. There is work before you leave."

"as you say. "

He turns on the ball of his foot and marches away, Lilith and Mordecai both watch as Maya snaps up the remaining sheet and darts away to a small adjacent bathroom he hadn't noticed last night. It is almost three minutes later that she opens the door back up wearing her customary black gown and slippers. Maya tucks her long hair back into a tight folded ponytail before placing on the usual white trimmed hood that conceals much of her face. She walks by Lilith and flips one of the eggs onto the remainder of her toast before eating the damn thing almost whole. Mordecai stares at her while she chugs one of the glasses of juice, she pats out invisible wrinkles and walks briskly down the hall.

"gross"

Lilith stares at mordecai mildly amused before walking and slapping the side of his head.

"get up now! We actually have crap to do!"