They were back on top of Kelpie, galloping their way into the nearest town available, when Ciri decided to break the ice for the third time since she smacked her lips onto Leon's in a,- Mind you-, quite dramatic attempt to make him realize she was not playing games around him.
"Look, so maybe I rushed it a bit, okay?" She tried again, ignoring the fact that Leon had already forgiven her for everything that had happened in the last thirty minutes, "But I felt like it was a necessity! My only tool available to show you I was not-and that I'm not toying with you" She dramatized in an amusing way, not trying to take away the weight of the situation, but at the same time, trying to show Leon that a stolen kiss was not the end of the world.
"And I already told you that it's all fine" He answered back, this time, for the first time, looking back at her (He was galloping) as he did.
His cheeks were not tinted anymore, and his pensive look seemed to turn back into normal.
"I'm just a little shocked, it's all" He confessed and shrugged, taking his eyes back on the road, silently urging Kelpie with an urging hand to go a little faster, "It was my first kiss, but like I said before, I don't really mind it being with you" She grimaced.
He hadn't mentioned that before.
"Look, that's not the problem here" He patted her hair when she settled her forehead on his back in defeat, "It's just...me; overthinking things" He sighed, "All over again" He whispered that part, like last time, probably more for himself than her, but she could hear it nonetheless.
Ciri plundered her brain for it to say something, but only stupid quotes would come to her mind.
"L-Let's not overthink things, okay?" She offered at last, nervously, "I rushed out the kiss" She admitted with her hands in mocking defeat, "Was it going to happen at one point in time? Well, yeah, probably" She shrugged and smiled at the way he shrug/nodded as well, "Did I have to throw you off a horse and into a teeth clash? Well, yeah, probably not" She joked and he laughed, "But the fact remains that I did that to prove you that, first, It's not impossible for people to be into you, and second- well", She actually felt the awkward node forming in her throat, "That I'm into you" She laughed at the redundancy in an attempt to hide her own embarrassment, and continued, "So don't feel weird around me, 'Cuz I'm definitely enjoying my time with you" She munched the back of her cheek, "In my job, I don't get to spent much time with the people I meet" She explained, "I don't wanna let it go to waste with you" She finished, trying not to sound cheesy but at the same time, letting him know she's at least putting some sort of effort.
He let out another sigh, not directed to her nor the situation, before letting his shoulders fall low, in a resting position.
"Better to let time do his job, then" She hummed in response and actually smirked after he asked: "And will it ever happen again?" in a whisper.
She could only pfft it in response.
"Well, yeah, most definitely".
Oxenfurt was hasty, lousy and nasty, even at the late hours of the night; drunktards could be found vomiting out at the bridges, gangs uniting for their weekly 'let's kill some innocent bastard' event, and mobs walking around with dumb, unjustified believes. In daylight, it was even more hasty, but at night time, she couldn't trust Leon to care of himself.
Less so when he seemed so impressed with just the size of the city, the walls and the chain-doors. He's from a big town, probably, she figured since he did mention they had some sort of Duke.
"I read about Cities before, but I never thought they'd be this gigantic" She smiled at the thought of a young-, even younger- Leon, reading whatever book with starry eyes and full concentration, "The mood is so different" He commented, amazed, "And the smell.." He took a deep breath before cutting it short with a cough, "It's horrible, just like the stories, I love it" He finished with a smile.
"You're a dork" She said while laughing, "No one enjoys Oxenfurt; you're either here on a job, or you're looking for one, and you don't stay long unless you make a living around here" She pointed up with her finger towards the passed out drunk on the arch that was above them, "There's drunkies sleeping outside on ledges, and half the people here just do not take showers, it smells horrible" She sighed and grimaced to add effect, even if Leon wasn't looking, "And did I mention that they do public killings here as well? And to innocent people they call out as Witches" She scoffed, glaring at nearby Eternal Fire speakers, "Idiots, a real witch could kill them all in a wish if she so wanted to…"
"That's horrible" He replied at her last statement, "How long are we staying here?" He asked her in all seriousness.
"We just need to spend the night here, so I can hit the blacksmith tomorrow morning" She unsheathed her sword for him to see it, and he blinked at it twice before staring at her eyes blankly.
"Sorry, I know nothing about weapons" He shook the bag he had on his back (Ciri had told him it'd be best to hide such a pretty looking bow in this place), "This bow kind of just repairs itself" He looked as confused at she was, so she left it at that.
"And so Kelpie, you and I can rest" She added before pointing him to turn to the right, towards the inn, "I could get some food as well" He grunted
"I have no coin" He sighed, and she just chuckled.
"Obviously, I'll pay for us both" She offered, and he frowned for a second.
"I'll pay you back-"
"Nah-ah" She winked, "It's on me, consider it a messy date" His breath got caught in his throat and he turned his face around. Caught him off guard.
"Fine then" He agreed after a second, "I'm too hungry not to accept some food, and too tired not to accept some shelter" He added.
It only took a few minutes to find the inn and after some bicker, a place to leave Kelpie for the night. She was sure Leon had been to pubs before, from his own words, but still, as soon as they had entered the Inn, she made it her task to keep her hand on Leon's wrist, never letting him go until they reached the bar.
She was glad only a few disgusting whistles were thrown her way...Good think Zirael kept idiots away from her. That, and her Witcher Emblem.
"Wow, they really like you around here" Leon joked as he let himself be almost dragged around the Inn, "I must be pretty fortunate" She hmphed and smirked as they reached the bar.
"You have no idea, honey" She played along with him before turning her attention to the hoster, "Excuse me, ma'am, are there any rooms available?" She asked without missing a point.
"Wow, someone's desperate today" A common drunkie sitting right next to them commented.
She casted one deathly glare at him and he turned around death cold.
"Aye, we've still got one small bedroom for 'ya" The dwarf hoster replied to Ciri as if nothing had ever happened, and she smiled at her. "It'll be twelve golden coins, missus" She added, and Ciri quickly reached for her pouch.
"How much for some quick dinner?" Leon added as Ciri handed the coins.
"That'd be another six coins" The hoster answered without looking at them, concentrating on recollecting the coins one by one.
"Right" Ciri handed the gold and shook her pouch a bit before hiding it back in its place.
She was running low on money, she could tell from the weight of her pouch, but she had some pearls she could sell off at the bank tomorrow morning, and with that, she could also pay for Zirael's repair.
"Roight, two beers, beef and bear coming right up!" The dwarf announced with a thud and left, with Leon waving goodbye while Ciri just nodded her way.
"Right, beer, never tried it, can't be too bad" Leon said to the air as he took a sit on the chair next to her. Soon enough, Ciri turned her chair around so it could be facing him.
He followed her suit.
"I like it, it takes some of the edge away" Leon chuckled.
"You sound like an old man" She shrugged, "Well, there's a first time for everything" He nodded to himself.
"Service coming right up" Just in time, the dwarf hoster arrived with their dinner.
Warm steak and bread, plus a mug full of beer, perhaps two times the size of Leon's hand.
Ciri laughed at Leon's reaction before diving right into the food, leaving her mug for last.
After a sip, Leon figured he'd try to down the sour taste of the beer with the juicy steak.
It kind of worked, and half way through his steak, he realized half his bread had been stolen.
"Hey!" He glared at Ciri, who smirked at him as she gulped half of Leon's bread (hers long gone already).
"Didn't see you much interested in the bread, so I figured I'd take halves" She explained with a devilish smile, and he just turned around, took another sip of the sour beer and drowned it with some of the bread he had left.
"I'm just letting you get away wit' this b'cause you paid for all 'dis" Leon replied with his mouth full of wet bread.
He grimaced after swallowing it all, and shook his head before continuing. Ciri couldn't help but laugh a bit.
"It's clear that you certainly did not like beer" He sighed and crossed his arms.
"I can deal with it" He still had fifty percent of his beer left, and no food to down it with. I should've taken bigger gulps, he thought.
"Me too, boy" Ciri announced with her full mug in her hand, "Cheers" She smiled at him and he lifted his beer, cheered with her and reluctantly took three big gulps of beer, as per tradition.
"Oh my lord" He cringed, instantly regretting his decision, "The gas is-" He burped, much to Ciri's amusement.
"Yup, that tends to happen" She managed between chuckling and drinking, "Your cheeks are already pink, summer child" She commented, her own speech a little sluggish.
"Shush, I'm fine" Leon defended himself, "Just a little blurred is all" She took another sip of her beer and so did Leon, his already on it's last two sips.
"Lemme take that for ya'" Ciri offered and got extremely close to his face.
She was reaching for his mug, but she took the chance and got close to him as she extended her arm to get the cold thing-, his fault, kind of, for putting the mug so far away from her.
She winked at him and before their noses could touch, she sat back on her chair, leaving Leon (and some other peekers) stunned.
"Thaaank you" She sang as she poured the rest of Leon's beer into her mug and downed both, "Right, that hit the spot"
"You're crazy" Leon commented at the show and she stuck her tongue out to him, not caring about his off comments, "A crazy beauty, I'm telling ya'"
"Shut up" She condoned before standing up abruptly, "I think we're done here" She said, pointing at their empty plates and mugs.
She didn't wait for Leon, instead she just took his wrist and pulled him with her. She wasn't too drunk, but she was distracted enough for someone to try a move on them both and come out victorious, so she didn't wanna risk it; With that and the constant sound of people getting mad and drunk, she couldn't wait to get out of there.
It was also getting pretty hot
The second floor was far quieter, the people who had rented the other rooms were already asleep or planning to soon, so all one could hear was the mumbled sounds from downstairs which, for Ciri, they were still a little loud, but she hoped that for Leon, they'd be pretty gone by now.
Walking to their small room was no biggie, and even though Ciri had some trouble inserting the key, they were both pretty much still on their feet and conscious.
"She did say it was pretty small…" She said to the air after closing the door, even when her eyes were focusing on the boy right next to her.
"I'm wonderin' how we be sleepin' tonight" She internally chuckled; the beer did affect him in the end, she could tell from his tainted cheeks and those half opened eyes. His voice was roughened up and he swayed his body from left to right…
He seemed anxious.
"I mean, I don't want you to sleep on the floor" She said as she walked right past him, brushing his arm with her fingers, before taking a seat on the bed, "And I don't wanna sleep on the floor, either" She patted the spot next to her.
"Uhm, sure" He took a reluctant seat next to her, and in a second, she'd already pushed him down on the bed, "Uh-"
"Just relax on that side, and this will be my side" The sides she was speaking of were non-existent, her body was sticking to his side and even though there was a window open that let cold air through, Leon felt pretty hot with Ciri so close to him.
Her hair was slightly under his chin, and he could smell the sense of lilac and strawberries even if they hadn't had a bath in a while by then.
She lifted her head, destroying his efforts to implant her smell into his brain, so she could take a look at him, with her big, emerald eyes.
They looked like magic stones, green and shiny. They were scanning him, fighting him, expecting Leon to turn around and face somewhere else, or two look down to see their bodies stuck together like a mess, but he wasn't about that.
He'd keep her gaze on his own, as long as it was needed. He wouldn't even blink.
His eyes traveled down the slightest once she bit her lower lip and his own lips parted when he felt her breath all over his mouth.
She was so close to him, he could smell the beer she just had, and feel some of her silver locks fall onto his face.
"Leon" When was it that her hands found her way to his hair?, "Let me make up for that horrible kiss that I gave you" She pulled him closer as she placed her slim arms around his neck, making their foreheads touch each other gently.
Her eyes were killing him.
"I dun' want you kissing me to make up for a bad kiss" She pouted and headbutted him, without separating an inch.
"You idiot" She chuckled and her eyes closed for a second before she released her intense gaze on top of his poor eyes again, "I'm using that as an excuse" She unrolled one of her arms from his neck and placed her hand flat on his chest, just to amuse herself with the speed of his heartbeat.
Her heart was pounding through her head as well,though.
"Being honest, I just wanna kiss those lips of yours" She didn't wait for an answer, perhaps because she wasn't that patient, or perhaps because she was scared of him denying her, and she just closed the already non-existent space they had between each other.
Leon tasted like glory, she wanted to admit. Every move of his lips seemed to fit perfectly with her own, and his mouth turned out to be as greedy as hers, stealing lower lip bites, sneaking tongues inside. She sighed in relief once he finally took hold of her waist, and their position turned from shy kisses to blatantly making out.
His other hand found his way to her chin, and he started moving her head, taking control without even realizing.
"Did...you read about this?" She joked between gasps when he decided to kiss her neck instead.
"Shush up" He replied before biting her shoulder and returning to her face, "I may have…" He sunk into her lips once again, not really caring about whatever they were talking about.
She bit his lip one last time before pushing him off.
Leon was about to say something before she got on top of him, straddling him between her legs.
She captured him with her lips again and some of her hair fell on top of him as well, surrounding him with her scent. Her body was tightly pressed against him, making him shiver at the very movement she did.
"This is gettin'...a little hot" Leon managed after she cut their kiss off to fix her fallen hair a bit. She was looking down on him while keeping him in place, and the look was wild for him.
Ciri pondered her options before groaning internally.
"You're right" She was gasping and her breath was uneven too, "I don't think this is the right place for...well, you know" His cheeks tainted a bit and he nodded before looking away from her.
She laid down on top of him again either way before ordering to stay that way as she rolled off him.
"I can't feel my arm like this" He complained and she giggled while she ran her fingers slowly around his chest. She had already calmed down.
"Oh come on, don't complain so much" She told him, amused, "It's better for the both of us, and you're warm"
"When did you take your shoes...when did you take my shoes off" She smirked and tapped his chest twice with her nails.
"My secret" She turned around to kill off the candle that was lighting up a small part of the room, and returned to her spot, with her head on top of Leon's arm, "You're not allowed to act weird about this tomorrow, outta the rules" Ciri whispered with her eyes already closed.
"You know I'll act weird about this tomorrow" The brown haired boy replied with a laugh, "But don't worry, it won't be too bad"
Ciri frowned and smacked his chest.
"You better not" She felt him nod twice, "Good, and that's finale. Go to sleep" She declared and went silent.
"Roger that, missus" He smiled.
He'll definitely not be weird tomorrow.
Hey, so sorry for wait, it'll be some time before I get used to writing again.
I hope you're still liking the story, right now this is just some smut and relationship progress that I said I was going to make before actually getting into the story.
Since I don't like people falling in love outta nowhere, but I've experienced y'know, making out with people you haven't even got to know yet, so I figured I'd build their relationship on a basis beyond "Uh, our first kiss will define our relationship" and stuff.
Hope you understand!
See you around - Bruce