Forged in Fire Chapter 6, a game of thrones fanfic

A/N: This picks up directly after Chapter 5, and it's the smut/slice-of-life half of Jacen and Daenerys's date night. This is my first time ever writing a smut/sex scene, so I hope you all like it!

Jacen

Jacen fed a log into the small fire in the hearth in his bedroom, bringing it to life again and driving away the chill. He then walked over to his nearby chest of drawers. He was very aware of the Queen of Westeros sitting on his bed, watching his every move as he searched the drawers for his nightclothes.

"Would you like something to sleep in that isn't your normal clothes?

Offering night clothes to a woman staying over at your home… He could hear his friends laughing.

Well, she didn't bring her own. What else am I supposed to do? Make her sleep in her day clothes?

Sleep? They would only laugh harder.

"If it isn't too much trouble," She rose and walked over to stand next to him.

Jacen rooted in the drawer and pulled out a shirt and pair of cotton pants that were better suited for sleeping. He then turned and passed them to her. "If it please Your Grace."

She took them and ran her fingers over them. "It does."

"Very good," he smiled and nodded to the washroom. "You can change in the washroom if you'd like."

She returned his smile and walked past him into the washroom, closing the door behind her and leaving him in silence. He quickly changed into his own nightclothes, pulled back the sheets, and sat down on the edge of his bed.

Daenerys Stormborn, Queen of Westeros, is spending the night in my home. In my bed. He suddenly felt lightheaded, and he took a deep breath to center himself. Will she know that I'd never even kissed a girl until the day she kissed me?

Of course she will.

After what felt like an eternity, the washroom door finally opened. And Daenerys walked out, wearing clothes that were clearly slightly too big for her slender form. She had her day clothes draped over one arm, and Jacen gestured to a nearby chair for her to hang them. She took her time hanging the articles of clothing, one by one, as if stalling for time, then she turned to him and shrugged.

"Fit for a queen?" He asked, unsure of what else to say.

"With room to spare."

Jacen smiled and lay down on the bed and patted the spot to his right. Daenerys joined him and cuddled against him and rested her head on his chest, her silver-blonde hair splayed out around her. He then slipped an arm around her, pulled the sheets up over them, and stretched them across to cover her other side. Satisfied, he laid back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

What now?

Fuck it.

He planted a light kiss on the top of her head and rested his cheek on it. Her silver-blonde hair was impossibly soft, and it smelled like a light ocean breeze mixed with lavender. He felt her right leg twitch slightly under the sheets, but he tried to think nothing of it.

Do we actually sleep? Am I supposed to be touching her somewhere? He cursed himself for not asking his friends for advice in case the night took this turn.

After a few minutes of lying together in this awkward and contemplative silence, accompanied only by the light crackling of the fire, Daenerys slipped out of his grip and maneuvered herself to lie next to him. Jacen turned to look at her, and she was turned on her side, staring at him with those violet eyes. He mirrored her, and before he could speak she put a hand on his cheek and slowly leaned forward to kiss him tenderly on the lips. Jacen pulled away almost immediately

"Too soon?" She asked.

"No," Jacen shook his head and looked down at her stomach and a loose thread on her shirt, suddenly more self conscious than he had ever been. "It's just that… when you kissed me in my shop is the only time I've ever kissed a woman. It's the only time I've ever done anything with a woman."

When he finally willed himself to look back into her eyes, he was met with a gaze of understanding and acceptance as opposed to amusement or ridicule.

"Do you want to stop?"

Jacen shook his head. "No. I guess I just… don't know how."

"It's okay," she smiled encouragingly. "Nobody ever knows how when they start. Just be yourself and do what feels right, and tell me if you need a break or want to slow down."

Jacen nodded and leaned forward to meet Daenerys's lips, but he accidentally pushed his nose into her own. They both laughed, shattering the lingering tension like a hammer to glass.

"Sorry about that," Jacen smiled sheepishly.

Daenerys grinned and shook her head. "No need to apologize, I suppose I'm a bit out of practice myself."

"Then we'll have to learn together."

Daenerys chuckled and responded by reaching out to put a hand on his cheek and leaning in again, holding him still. She captured his mouth in hers, the connection coming easier after their earlier mishap.

Her lips were wet and almost as soft as her hair, and they tasted faintly of the broth he had used as the base of the stew he had prepared for them. Jacen leaned into her, and Daenerys met him with equal enthusiasm. He felt her hands begin to wander through his hair as his own went instinctively to her back to pull her closer to him. Now that he had tasted her, he couldn't bear the thought of letting her go again.

When Jacen finally broke away and pulled back, he raised a hand to her cheek and held her face in front of his. As he stared into her blazing violet eyes, he saw not a queen, not even the Mother of Dragons. He saw a normal young woman.

A normal young woman he was hopelessly in love with.

A warm smile slowly spread across her face, and he couldn't help but smile himself as he ran a thumb along her cheek. Jacen opened his mouth to make a nervous joke about the absurdity of the situation, but she leaned forward and captured his lips again, more fervently this time.

Am I supposed to use my tongue?

He attempted to do so, and Daenerys sputtered a laugh into his mouth and pulled away.

"Getting adventurous?"

"Trying," Jacen forced an embarrassed smile.

"Don't be embarrassed," she smiled. "You're with me. Here," she leaned forward again and placed a hand on the back of his neck, "let me show you."

She guided him, using slow and deliberate movements to gently encourage him to part his lips. Jacen followed her lead, and Daenerys began to demonstrate the art of a lingering, exploratory kiss. Their hands began to wander again, and Jacen pulled her toward him with more force than before.

"Now you're getting it," she laughed into his mouth. Jacen responded by kissing her even more hungrily, though only slightly less clumsily than before. Daenerys hardly seemed to mind, though.

Encouraged by her enthusiastic response, Jacen allowed a hand to drift down her back and rest on her backside for the briefest of moments.

Too far?

He ran his hand back up her back, hoping that she didn't notice, but Daenerys reached back and grabbed his wrist. She slid his hand back down her body to rest in the same spot.

"Commit to it," She whispered into his mouth before playfully nipping at his bottom lip, much to his surprise, and pressing her lips to his again.

Commit to it…

He tentatively squeezed her backside, and she groaned into his mouth and pressed herself towards him, almost pushing him over onto his back. He laughed, pushed back into her to right himself, and gave her bottom lip a light retaliatory bite. In response, she ran a hand from his neck down to his backside and gave it a hard squeeze before pulling away. She took a deep breath and gave him a tired smile.

"Keeping up?" He reached out with his thumb and lightly flicked her bottom lip.

"Doing my best," she laughed before putting a hand on the back of his head and pulling him in for a quick peck on the lips. "I'd like to do something with you," her voice took on a more serious and unsure tone as she ran a hand around the side of his head and rested it on his cheek, "but I want you to stop me if it's too much. Can you promise me that?"

Jacen nodded, grateful and flattered that she cared enough about him to ensure his comfort with little regard for her own desires.

Daenerys then grabbed his hand from the bed, pulled open the bottom of her shirt, and gently guided his hand onto her bare skin. She placed his hand flat on her stomach, and he watched their hands moving as one under her shirt as she slowly guided his to rest on her breast. When their eyes met, he saw a look of cautious vulnerability that bordered on shyness. He gave her a warm smile that he hoped conveyed how much this degree of trust meant to him, then he looked down at the outline of his hand and began to run his index finger along the contours of her breast.

It was soft to the touch, but also firm. He caressed gently and felt the curvature, his index finger sliding effortlessly along her smooth skin until it found a hardening nipple. He swirled his finger around it, and she moaned and pushed her chest forward into his hand.

He glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow.

She smiled encouragingly as her cheeks began to redden. "You're doing fine, Jacen. Just do what feels natural. I'll tell you if I don't like something."

He nodded and continued, applying slightly more pressure, and he heard her breathe deeply as she reached up and gently ran a hand through his hair. She closed her eyes, savoring this newfound connection, and she pulled him closer and held his head against her chest as he continued to caress her smooth skin. She laid her cheek on the top of his head as she continued to play with his hair. It was a sudden closeness that Jacen had never experienced.

"Your hair is so soft, and it smells amazing," she marveled.

Jacen could only laugh at the sudden compliment. "So is yours."

You always know just what to say.

After some time passed, Jacen stopped moving his hand as he felt his heartbeat quickening.

"I think I've had enough," he said.

He felt Daenerys kiss him on the top of his head. "Of course," she whispered before pulling him away from her. "Everything okay?"

Jacen nodded as he let his hand fall back onto the bed and withdrew it from her shirt.

"Do you need to go slower?"

"No, I think I'm keeping up. Just a little much at once is all."

Daenerys nodded and put a hand on his cheek, fixing him with her violet eyes once more. She leaned in and kissed him deeply, and Jacen took the lead this time with a hand in the small of her back. He felt her back shake lightly as she laughed at his newfound fervor, but he didn't slow down.

After what could have been seconds or minutes of their tongues dancing a newly learned melodious dance, Daenerys pulled away. Jacen reluctantly let his hand return to the bed and met her gaze.

"Do you mind if I guide your hand again?" She sounded less certain of herself this time.

Suddenly very nervous, Jacen nodded.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

He nodded again. "I trust you."

She gave him a warm smile and grabbed his hand and kissed it before she began to slide it down her stomach and into the waistband of her night pants, holding his gaze all the while. He felt his fingers pass along the smooth skin of her thighs, then between her thighs, and she gently pushed two of his fingers inside of her. She let out a trembling breath as the warmth enveloped his fingers.

It was a strange feeling, a feeling that he may have found repulsive initially if it hadn't belonged to Daenerys Stormborn. Wet, spongy, and oddly… warm. He had always heard his friends say that it was warm, but the feeling had caught him off guard nonetheless. He fought back the urge to jerk his hand back in surprise.

Daenerys used her fingers to guide his own in what to do, and Jacen continued as she withdrew her hand to cup his cheek and pull him into a deep kiss that only grew in vigor as Jacen continued to clumsily work his fingers inside of her.

Daenerys pulled away after no more than thirty seconds and took another trembling breath as she reached down and slowly withdrew his hand from her.

"Too much?" Jacen asked.

"Not yet, but getting there."

Jacen nodded in silent understanding and pulled her into another brief and passionate kiss. When he pulled away, he saw in Daenerys's eyes a look of pure desire.

"Jacen, do you mind if I…" she let her voice trail off with the unspoken question as she nodded at his lower body.

It's supposed to be hard by now. Why isn't it?

Jacen nodded tentatively, suddenly feeling very shy and self conscious, and a gentle smile tinged her lips as she slowly moved her hand down his stomach and into the waistband of his pants, her impossibly deep violet eyes never leaving his. Time seemed to stop as she caressed him, and he felt himself begin to grow in her hand as she lightly kissed him on the lips.

The feeling of her warm and gentle hands on him was like nothing he had ever felt. He found himself grappling with the reality of the situation — that Daenerys Stormborn was in his bed touching, caressing, and guiding him with such patience and gentleness. It was an overwhelming feeling, but, for the first time in his life, he was happy to be so overwhelmed with emotion.

"Tell me if it's too much," she whispered, seeming to sense his shyness.

Jacen shook his head in response, his heart pounding in his ears. "Can I?" He pointed to her chest.

She grinned widely and gave him an encouraging nod, and they continued to hold each other's gazes as he slipped his hand underneath her shirt to cup her breast again. The look in her eyes as he began to gently caress it almost moved him to tears. It was a look of the purest form of trust and vulnerability, a look that he had never seen in all of the looks that Daenerys had given him during their time together. They leaned forward simultaneously to resume their passionate kiss

I love you so much, Daenerys Stormborn, he desperately wanted to say as they shared this moment, but he held his tongue. There would be ample time for that later.

Jacen pulled away and placed his other hand lightly on Daenerys's lower stomach. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. She took a deep breath and nodded. Jacen slipped his hand into her night pants and, after much searching, managed to find the warmth that had engulfed his fingers earlier.

She shuddered as his fingers entered her again. She began to kiss him more frantically than earlier, moving her hand from his night pants and running it under his shirt to rest on his bare chest over his racing heart. Her other hand was combing through his hair once again. He found it delightfully difficult to keep pace with her, all caution from their earlier explorations thrown to the wind.

Jacen continued between her legs, and he increased the pressure of his caresses under her shirt. She whimpered into his mouth in response and pulled him closer, her movements becoming even more frantic.

"Just like that," she gasped into his mouth.

"Is it too much?"

"Mhm," she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Please, no," she said between frantic kisses. "You're doing amazing."

Jacen laughed and continued as she bid. He wanted to increase the frequency and pressure of his fingers inside of her, but he managed to hold himself back; and he was rewarded with the sound of her breath quickening and her heart beating out of her chest beneath his wandering hand.

"Don't stop," she gasped breathlessly.

"Never," he smiled and gave her breast a light and playful pinch.

Seconds later she turned her head to rest her temple against his mouth and groaned his name loudly as her right leg jerked and her hand clenched his hair harder than ever before. Her back arched like a bow string pulled taught, and then she released all at once. He worked his fingers at the same pace and kissed her on the temple as her climax came like a wave of fire, driving the breath from her lungs and curling her toes against his legs.

When the moans subsided, he withdrew his hand from between her legs and slipped his arm around her to hold her securely there with him. She then tucked her head under his chin against his chest, still whimpering, as if wanting him to protect her from the nearly devastating waves of pleasure that had cascaded over her. Her right leg still twitched occasionally as she took deep, even breaths to recover herself, but the most intense of it seemed to have passed.

I did that? He couldn't help but marvel as she trembled against him. Is it always that easy?

He slowly withdrew his other hand from her shirt, now crushed between their bodies, and placed it on her back to pull her closer. He kissed her on top of her head and rested his cheek on her soft hair as he slipped a hand under her shirt and began to rub her bare back.

"Okay?" He whispered.

"I'll survive," she breathed. "Just unexpected is all."

"For both of us," he chuckled, and he felt her laugh against him before falling again into a contented silence.

They lay like that for some time, one of her hands under his shirt tracing her fingers gently along his spine as her forehead rested on his chest. Her touch against his bare skin was intoxicating, and it only strengthened the growing connection between them during such an intimate moment. Her movements eventually slowed and stopped altogether as her arm went limp across his body and her breathing began to even.

He was roused from his own dozing by Daenerys stirring underneath his cheek. He opened his eyes just as she eased away from him and raised herself up on an elbow. He had no idea how long they had been sleeping, but she looked anything but groggy.

"Would you like to…" She began, her voice trailing off again. The look of pure desire had returned to her eyes.

"What?" Jacen smiled.

"Are you going to make me say it?"

"I am," Jacen struggled to sound confident as his pulse pounded deafeningly loud in his ears.

She gave him a sly smile and leaned in close to his ear.

"I want you to fuck me," she whispered, slipping a hand down his night pants to caress him again.

Jacen's heart skipped a beat at that word and the feel of her warm breath, and he managed a nod, but he felt himself go limp in her hand immediately after. Daenerys must have noticed the defeated look cross his face, because she gently withdrew her hand and ran it up his stomach to rest again over his heart.

Jacen heaved a sigh and pushed a hand through his hair. "I ca—"

"It happens to everyone, Jacen," she whispered before moving closer to him and kissing him on the lips. "It's okay. There will be other nights, I promise."

Jacen shook his head, heaved a deep sigh, and pushed a hand through his hair again. Daenerys watched on in sympathetic silence, her hand slowly rubbing his chest.

"Can we just go to sleep?" He ran a hand through her hair and watched as it fell between his fingers to lay splayed on the sheets below, trying not to sound as defeated as he felt. "I don't really feel up to it anymore."

"Of course," she smiled and pushed him onto his back before she sat up and straightened the sheets over them. She then snuggled up against him and rested her head on his chest.

He felt anger and shame bubbling up inside of him, but it dissipated instantly when he looked down at her curled up against him. He couldn't help but marvel at how… unimposing she looked. The mask of the fearless Dragon Queen that she had always worn was gone, the walls she so depended on to protect her were down, and now she was just… Daenerys.

"Daenerys?" He asked tentatively.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for tonight, and for… being vulnerable and trusting me."

She was silent for a long while, then she grabbed his hand and kissed the back of it.

"And thank you. I'm sure it wasn't easy opening up for the first time, and it means the world to me that you trusted me enough to allow me to be a part of such an intimate moment."

"It wasn't as hard as you'd think," Jacen smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "I've just been waiting for the perfect woman."

Say it!

I love you.

He sighed and shook his head internally as he settled down into bed and adjusted his pillow beneath him before slipping an arm around Daenerys once again.

Once again, you really are your own worst enemy.

Daenerys

Daenerys awoke to the comforting feeling of a muscular arm still draped around her shoulders, holding her close as the morning sun began to beam through the windows. His grip was like a vice, and she nestled herself deeper into it, a contented sigh escaping her lips as she allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

"Good morning, beautiful," Jacen roused her with a whisper as she was dozing, the warmth of his breath in her ear sending shivers up and down her spine.

"Good morning," she said groggily.

"How did you sleep?"

"Better than I have in years," she yawned and nestled herself once again into his grip, and he pulled her tighter against him. "Yourself?"

"Much better than I have in years."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. You snore loudly for a queen, you know.."

She laughed and sat up on an elbow and turned to him. "I do not snore."

"Oh, but you do," he smiled and pulled her back down to the bed and tightly against him. "The cutest snores I've ever heard, in fact."

"Well, I suppose I should be grateful for that, if nothing else," she chuckled.

Jacen joined her laughter and kissed her on the top of her head before they fell back into contented silence.

As she lay securely in Jacen's arms, she couldn't help but think back to the events of the previous night. She found herself wondering what it would feel like to have him on top of her with his bare, muscular chest pressed firmly against hers; his rough-but-gentle hands caressing her body as they lay entangled together in front of a flickering fire; the way his muscles tensed and rippled as she ran her hands over his bare back; being held tightly and safely in his grip as he ravaged her—

Stop! Not now! She screamed at herself as her cheeks began to grow warm. She settled for adjusting herself in his arms once more.

If he could do that to me his first time ever being with a woman, he'll be ruling the Seven Kingdoms and have me in the palm of his hand before long.

"Restless?"

"A bit, yes."

"What's on your mind?"

"Just thinking about last night."

"Yeah…" His voice trailed off. "Sorry about that."

Daenerys laughed and lightly kissed his forearm. "You have nothing to apologize for, I assure you."

"No, that I couldn't—"

She leaned up on an elbow and turned to look at him.

"Stop that," she gave him a playful shove. "It was your first time. There will be other nights, and this just builds that anticipation for the time that we are able to take that step. For what it's worth, I felt so much closer to you last night than I ever have." She leaned up to kiss him on the jaw and nestled back into his arm. "I think it was the perfect pace for taking the first step in getting to know each other on that level. "

I love you, she wanted so desperately to say. So much.

You can't say you don't know anymore. Last night wouldn't have meant so much if you didn't love each other.

She heaved a sigh and stretched, knowing that she should have departed for the Red Keep long ago to make it back before Lenna could show up and wait for her. Now, wrapped in Jacen's arms, she found herself not caring about the embarrassment she would feel as Lenna asked her about every detail of their night together. She almost wanted to tell her about it — how they had connected so deeply in a single night. How she had been right about so many things regarding their budding relationship.

"When do you have to get back to the Red Keep?"

"Last night," She closed her eyes and yawned again as she adjusted herself again to lie more firmly against him.

"Should I expect a warrant for my arrest, then?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, but rest assured that you'll receive a full pardon."

"After lying on my arm all night, I think that's the least I deserve."

She laughed and slapped him playfully on the stomach. "I guess I have been the center of attention, haven't I?"

"Did you expect any less?"

"What I would expect is that the man who gets to sleep with a queen would be at least somewhat grateful."

"Did you think that I went all out for this dinner just to get to know you?"

"I suppose I can be naive sometimes," she laughed and leaned up to kiss him on the jaw again before sitting up. "I do have to get going, though."

Jacen responded by wrapping a muscular arm around her midsection and pulling her back down. He then turned on his side and buried his face in her shoulder.

"Tyrion seems like a competent man," his voice was slightly muffled by her hair and shirt. "Abdicate and stay here with me."

"Permanently?" She asked, amused.

"Until I get tired of you."

She grabbed his hand and planted a light kiss on the back of it. "Isn't there a chance I'll get tired of you first?"

"Based on last night? Not likely."

She laughed and shoved his arm off of her. "Very true," she quickly rose from the bed, unsure if she would be able to resist if he pulled her down again, and stretched. She noticed him staring at her as she arched her back and stretched her arms behind her head, and she quickly lowered them as she felt her face grow warm. He smirked and rolled onto his back.

"Can I change in your washroom?" She asked as she walked around his bed.

"Embarrassed to change in front of me after last night?" He teased.

"Just don't want to give away too much too soon," she winked at him and grabbed her clothes off of the chair near his bed and entered the washroom.

She shed her borrowed clothes in silence and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a tousled mess, and she didn't have her comb.

Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, naked in a blacksmith's washroom…

She smiled at her reflection and began to dress.

When she walked out of the washroom, fully dressed and hair passably tamed, Jacen was sitting on the edge of his bed in his day clothes.

"Can I walk you to the Red Keep?" He looked up at her as she draped the borrowed shirt and pair of sleep pants on the nearby chair. She had been tempted to ask to keep them since they smelled so strongly of his cologne and were comfortably too large for her, but she had ultimately decided that it was too early for such a step, though she knew that Jacen would be touched by the request.

Daenerys sighed and walked over to him. "No," she whispered, placing a hand on his cheek. "We can't. Not yet."

Jacen looked crestfallen, but Daenerys did her best to remain resolute.

"I know," she said gently. "I can't put into words how much I want you to, but I haven't even told Tyrion about us. We can't be seen together like that."

"Do you think he doesn't already know?"

"Oh, I know that he knows," she gave a small smile and lowered her hand. "I've just been waiting to tell him until we… properly explored this"

You say this as if you didn't just spend the night and almost fuck the man.

"Properly explored this?" Jacen raised an eyebrow.

Daenerys nodded. "What we're going to do about us. If we're just friends, or if we're going to explore a relationship."

Jacen pondered her words for several seconds, suddenly appearing nervous.

"Well," he swallowed and began. "I'd like to be more than friends. In a relationship, even." He reached out and tentatively grabbed her hand.

Their eyes met for several seconds, and Daenerys saw in his eyes a look of vulnerability deeper than any she had seen, even last night.

"I'd like that too," she smiled and squeezed his hand.

A wide smile spread across his face that made Daenerys want to jump back into bed with him, but before she could move he sprung up from the bed and pulled her into the tightest hug she had ever received. She squeezed him in return and rubbed his back.

I love you, Jacen.

When he finally pulled away, he held her by the shoulders at arm's length and fixed her with his green eyes. They had taken on a new warmness, and they seemed to bore even more deeply into her than ever before. He reached up to cup her right cheek and traced her hairline with a finger.

"So you'll tell Tyrion?" He asked quietly.

"I will," she smiled and nodded.

He grinned widely and kissed her lightly on the forehead, sending chills up and down her spine as he released her.

"Now that I've gotten what I want, you can see yourself out," he sat back down on the edge of the bed and waved her away dismissively.

She smiled as she gave him a shove onto his back and barely sidestepped another attempt to pull her down with him that would have undoubtedly been successful.

He then jumped up and pulled her into another quick hug and kissed her deeply on the lips. Daenerys found her hands running up his back to rest on the back of his neck as she arched her body into his. She felt her whole body suddenly start to grow very warm, and she quickly pulled away and took a large step back.

"A valiant attempt," she said with a small laugh, her voice shuddering slightly.

Jacen responded with a knowing smile. "An attempt that was almost successful, it would seem."

"Almost," she admitted with a regal nod as she began to walk to the bedroom door, "but a queen cannot be beholden to such vises."

"I would never suggest otherwise," he gave her a bow and followed her out of the room. "I'd offer you breakfast, but I'm afraid I only have a few eggs and a couple of pieces of bacon."

"No, you don't have to do that," she turned around at the front door. "I can grab something for lunch at the Red Keep."

"Do you have a lot going on today?"

"Yes, but nothing of note. Meetings, stamping things, and listening to adults argue like children."

"I can't say that I'm jealous," he walked over to the nearby coat hook and grabbed her coat off of it.

"If anything, I'm jealous of you," she chuckled. "What about you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Heating and hammering things."

"I'm definitely jealous of you, then."

"Well, you can come by anytime you'd like. Now that you've been personally and professionally trained," he gave her his best confident smile and held open the jacket for her. "My uncle will be back in town today for a week or two if you'd like to come meet him."

She felt her cheeks redden again as she turned around and allowed him to help her into it.

"Yes, I'd like that," she turned to face him and buttoned her coat. Before he could give a witty response, she stepped towards him, reached up to put a hand on the back of his neck, and pulled him into a deep kiss. His hands ran from the top of her head down her back, tracing the path of her silver-blonde hair. They pulled away at the same time and exchanged smiles.

"Goodbye, Daenerys," he smiled as his cheeks began to turn a very faint shade of red before he leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

Gods, I would walk all the way here every day just for a kiss on the forehead, she thought, making a mental note to never tell him how much she loved them until such a time where she could push him into bed after.

"Goodbye, Jacen," she said quietly, "and thank you for an amazing night." She couldn't resist leaning up and giving him another quick peck on the lips before opening the door and stepping out into the chilly morning air. As soon as she stepped into the street, she turned around and rushed back up to the closing door. "Would it be odd if I asked to keep the night clothes I wore?" She blurted out.

Jacen gave her an amused look. "It would, but of course you can," he smiled before disappearing from the doorway to fetch them.

BEHIND THE CHAPTER

This chapter was the other major problematic part of Chapter 5 that I mentioned in the previous Behind the Chapter section. The smut section is probably the section I had worked the hardest on up to this point in the story, so I was very careful with how I wrote the entire first date scene.

I had been grappling with this section since the day I published Chapter 2, and I didn't decide to split it off from the previous chapter until the day before I published Chapter 5. It was a tough decision to make, but I found that the smut scene was getting a bit too much of a tone shift to have in the same chapter as a dinner scene, and the chapter was approaching 11k words. It wasn't a huge adjustment since I originally had a scene break after Daenerys takes Jacen's hand, and upon re-reading it I liked the flow much more.

The reason that it was all a single chapter is a funny one: this wasn't originally a smut scene at all! In the very first version, they started kissing and undressing each other, then they stopped when they decided that they weren't ready to take that step with each other yet. They slept together and just cuddled all night. As I began to read ahead (I didn't publish the story until I had ~10 chapters written at least in part to I could edit earlier chapters to fix plot issues without changing the published fic), I decided that going for a mild smut scene instead would be better suited for the story and relationship progression going forward, which you'll see pan out over the next five or six chapters. They also didn't have the relationship "talk" the following morning, so at this point they would still be grappling with their feelings about each other instead of being an "official" couple.

I tried to really focus on the intimacy of the moment throughout the smut scene, with a special emphasis on Jacen's inner monologue as he tries to navigate what to do, until he becomes more comfortable and sure of himself and starts to take the initiative. I also felt that it was important that Daenerys realize Jacen's inexperience, and maybe she thinks back to how she felt during her first time, which drives her to repeatedly check in with Jacen to make sure he isn't overwhelmed. Plus, I just personally like smut that's more intimate/character-driven and has a lot of awkward and real moments.

The morning scene was fun to write because, now that they had taken that step the previous night, they could be less awkward with each other. I considered having this be a Jacen POV section, but I decided to go for Daenerys in the end since we have yet to see what this night meant for her besides what she explicitly says to Jacen or exhibits with her body language. As for making them "official" in this chapter, it was something I was on the fence about since we also have this parallel storyline going of Tyrion and the small council trying to run damage control without openly confronting Daenerys about it. I had originally had it come a few chapters later, and it was a bit of a leap to have it here instead, but I thought that it worked out much better with making the progression of their relationship seem more believable.

A/N (again): As I said above, this was my first time ever writing a smut scene, so I'd love any feedback! I appreciate your kind support so far, and I'm so looking forward to taking you with me on both Jacen and Daenerys's journey as well as my own journey writing my first major story!

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